Eleven out of the 25 Baptist Church worshipers kidnapped by gunmen in Kaduna have regained their freedom Wednesday.
Armed attackers on Sunday stormed into the Bege Baptist Church in Kaduna State during morning mass and abducted 40 people. Fifteen managed to escape, while the gunmen left with 25, Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State said. But the gunmen were said to have let go 11 their captives because of ill health and old age.
“The number of those kidnapped from the church has reduced 14 after the gunmen set free 11 out of the 25 they took away,” said Hayab, who is also a Baptist priest.
“They abandoned or released those they found difficult to manage due to health challenges, fatigue or age,” he said.
The latest was a woman who was so exhausted that the abductors mistook her for dead and abandoned her in the bush along with her baby.
The woman regained consciousness, found her baby and returned home, Hayab said.
“To them, it is not the number of the hostages they take that matters because they know even if they take one person they will receive ransom in exchange.”
He said they were waiting for the abductors to make their demands.
Kaduna police have confirmed the incident but are yet to provide details.
Meanwhile nine people, including a local chief, were also kidnapped late on Tuesday in Idon Gida community in nearby Kajuru district of Kaduna State, according to Hayab and a local official.
Bandits burst into the Christian village around 2000 GMT, taking away seven women and two men, they said. AFP
