Kaduna residents on Friday expressed worry over rising insecurity especially since the month of December.
They expressed fears that this year’s Christmas and New Year celebrations would not be as enjoyable as in the past unless the state government and security agents beef up security in the state.
It recalls that there have been rising cases of bandit attacks, killings, kidnapping since the beginning of December 2021.
In the early hours of 11th December 2021 at about 0105hrs, kidnappers abducted a woman and her four children in the Angwar Gimbiya Sabo Tasha in Chikun LGA of the state.
On December 14, kidnapers blocked the Kaduna-Zaria road, killed one traveller and abducted 30 other passengers. Also less than 24 hours, they struck again in Zaria, killed a Kaduna House of Assembly member, and abducted three other members.
A day after, they struck again in Zaria, killing a businessman and abducting three of his sons.
Following this trend of rising crime in the state, Dr Salifu Obaje, a resident, observed that even if there will be a Christmas celebration, it would be low key as many who were kidnapped are still in the kidnappers’ den while others have not been heard of, dead or alive.
“We are going to find it difficult to celebrate Christmas this year in Kaduna, as we normally do. While the kidnappers are on the rampage, petty criminals are also springing up, stealing household property, and other valuables,” he said.
Also speaking in Kaduna on Friday, Mrs Janet Adagiri, a businesswoman said there is nothing to celebrate this year.
“I am not celebrating anything this year. My relations have been kidnapped twice this year. Each time they kidnap one, I paid a huge amount as ransom. As I speak with you, I don’t have a cup of garri to drink. Kidnappers have drained my pocket,” she said.
Alhaji Ibrahim Danladi, a retired civil servant in the state, appealed to security agents to beef up operations in some volatile areas in the state as so many people cannot sleep in their houses.
He also called on the state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to assist the security agents in carrying out their duties of protecting lives and properties.
The Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, did not pick his calls, just as he did not respond to text messages sent to his phone to inquire about security arrangements in this festive period.
