Kaduna, 10 November, 2021 / 8:50 pm (ACI Africa).
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has blamed the reported killing and kidnappings in a church in Kaduna State on the government’s closure of telecommunication services in some parts of the Nigerian State.
The chairman of CAN in Kaduna State noted that the shutdown of the telecommunication network enabled bandits to have “a field day” at the Kaduna Baptist Church on Sunday, November 7, killing one worshipper and kidnapping over 100 others.
“Abducted church worshippers would have cried out on Sunday to facilitate their rescue and for people to know that they were endangered, but they could not cry out,” Rev. John Joseph Hayab was quoted as saying in a November 4 report, adding that scores of other worshippers sustained severe injuries.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, through the state commissioner for Internal security and Home Affairs, shut down telecommunication services in parts of Kaduna, noting that the move was to pave way for the “commencement of a military onslaught against bandits.”
“The relevant federal agencies have today informed the Kaduna State Government that the processes for telecoms shutdown in parts of the state have commenced,” Mr. Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a September 29 press briefing.