Terrorists killed two people and abducted 20 during an attack on the Akwando community around 12 noon on Wednesday in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The terrorists attack was made known by Joseph Ariko, President of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association, along with its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Manasseh Akwando, who shared the details on Thursday, as they voiced concern over what they described as repeated killings, abductions, and displacement of residents in Kuturmi communities.
The association condemned the latest terrorists attack, stating that it marked yet another troubling development in the ongoing security challenges facing the area.
It said, “This latest incident represents another deeply troubling development in the persistent security challenges confronting our communities. It is particularly distressing that the attack occurred while our people are still grappling with the consequences of the Easter Sunday attack on Ariko.”
The association has made public the names of the 20 individuals said to have been abducted by the terrorists in the Akwando attack.
Among them are Usman Galadima, La’a’zarus Genesis, Madalin Markus, Happy Stephen, Lovet Ishaya, Afiniki Irimeya, Amina Ahmadu, Miracle Genesis, Hellen Irimeya, and Musa Genesis.
The others are Janet Irimeya, Gloria Markus, Zila Stephen, Alis Ahmadu, Haske Ahmadu, Great Isiac, Hanatu Irimeya, Desmon Ishaya, Siam Shagari, and Nansy Genesis.
KUDA recalled that the Easter Sunday attack by terrorists on Ariko reportedly killed five people at the scene, while 17 more victims later died in captivity.
It also raised concerns about an attack on the Awon community, which reportedly left two people dead and led to the abduction of 11 others.
According to the association, five of those abducted regained their freedom on November 3, 2026, though one reportedly died a day after being released. One other victim escaped, while five others died in captivity.
“The recurrence of attacks, killings, abductions, and displacement across our communities has become an increasingly serious humanitarian and security concern,” the statement said.
It also noted that residents kept experiencing fear, uncertainty, and psychological distress, while families had been split apart, livelihoods disrupted, farmlands abandoned, and ancestral settlements left exposed to persistent insecurity.
The association went on to allege that armed groups had interfered with residents’ access to their ancestral lands and farming activities, including reported demands for payments or levies before community members could cultivate their farms or harvest their produce.
It cautioned that such activities, if established, would amount to serious threats to public security, the rule of law, and the fundamental rights of the affected communities.
“No Nigerian citizen should be subjected to intimidation, extortion, or unlawful restrictions by armed groups in accessing legitimate sources of livelihood or exercising lawful rights over their ancestral lands,” KUDA stated.
The association also voiced concerns regarding what it characterized as a potential pattern of targeted violence and the systematic displacement of the Kuturmi population.
However, it emphasized that these concerns were not put forward as conclusive findings against any individual or group, and it called for independent and impartial investigations.
“We emphasize that these concerns are not presented as concluded findings against any individual or group. Rather, they underscore the urgent need for independent, impartial, and thorough investigations by competent authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the attacks, identify any underlying patterns, and determine the appropriate legal and security responses,” the statement added.
KUDA urged the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government, and the Kachia Local Government Council to promptly send well-equipped security personnel to Akwando, Ariko, Awon, and other communities at risk.
It also called for coordinated operations to secure the unconditional release of the 20 people reportedly abducted in Akwando and others who are still being held against their will.
Further demands include setting up permanent security posts, conducting regular patrols, establishing early-warning mechanisms, prosecuting the perpetrators, and providing immediate humanitarian assistance to affected families, survivors, and displaced residents.
The association additionally urged high-level engagement between government officials and representatives of the affected communities to assess the security situation and work out a sustainable response.
“We wish to make it unequivocally clear that the Kuturmi people are not demanding special privileges or preferential treatment. We are demanding the protection of our fundamental rights as Nigerian citizens, including the rights to life, dignity, personal security, freedom of movement, and the peaceful enjoyment of our ancestral heritage,” it said.
It added, “Our communities cannot continue to experience recurring attacks, lose their loved ones, endure the abduction of family members, abandon their farmlands, and face uncertainty over the safety of their ancestral settlements.”
The association called on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other relevant security agencies to treat the situation as an urgent security and humanitarian concern that demands coordinated and decisive intervention.
It further urged traditional rulers, civil society organizations, human rights organizations, and humanitarian agencies to back efforts aimed at addressing the worsening security situation.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives, the victims who remain in captivity, and all affected communities. We stand in solidarity with them and reiterate our demand for justice, effective protection, and the safe return of all abducted persons,” the statement added.
