A former spokesperson of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Forum, Mr Luka Binniyat, has described as false reports circulating on social media that 80 victims of the recent Kurmin Walli kidnapping in Kaduna State had escaped from their abductors.
In a verified post on Facebook, Binniyat dismissed the claims as “lies from the pit of hell,” saying that none of the 166 victims kidnapped in the attack had returned to their families or communities.
“There is currently news circulating in some media claiming that 80 Adara natives kidnapped by Fulani terrorist bandits 15 days ago from Kurmin Walli village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have escaped and returned to the village. That is a disgraceful, misleading, and shameless piece of fake news,” Binniyat wrote.
He explained that some villagers who were not kidnapped, but had fled Kurmin Walli during and after the attack, were the ones returning to the area. These residents had escaped earlier due to ongoing insecurity in the community.
“Some Kurmin Walli villagers who were not kidnapped, but had escaped and fled the village during and after the mass abduction, are the ones returning. They are returning based on perceived or real improvement in security around Kurmin Walli. After all, they have nowhere to go,” Binniyat said.
He added that the community had endured 22 previous spates of kidnapping over the past few years, highlighting the ongoing insecurity in Southern Kaduna.
Binniyat further accused certain local leaders of being pressured to spread misinformation. “It appears pressure is being piled on some village leaders to lie, just as the initial kidnapping was officially denied by the Kaduna State Government, before the Inspector General of Police later affirmed the criminality,” he wrote.
The former spokesperson also criticized the authorities for their lack of timely communication. “Today marks 15 days of their captivity, yet there is silence from the authorities who ought to brief Nigerians on the true situation, even as more kidnappings rage across Kajuru LGA and surrounding areas,” he said.
He appealed to journalists and the public not to be misled by unverified reports that could undermine public outrage and reduce pressure on the government to rescue the kidnapped citizens.
“The press must not be misled into blunting public outrage and the pressure on the government to rescue these poor, innocent citizens who must be going through hell right now,” he said.
Binniyat urged the government to confirm facts publicly, emphasizing that none of the 166 hostages had escaped or been rescued at the time of his statement. “Let the government officially confirm that 80 abducted churchgoers from Kurmin Walli have escaped or been rescued. Not some obscure, unauthorised, terrified villager who is tense and worried sick, with members of his family still in captivity,” he said.
He stressed that security cannot be achieved through deception. “Security cannot be achieved by deception,” Binniyat added.
The attack on Kurmin Walli village, located in Kajuru Local Government Area of southern Kaduna State, occurred approximately 15 days ago. Armed assailants, identified by community sources as Fulani militants, abducted 166 villagers, including men, women, and children.
Southern Kaduna has long been a hotspot for communal violence and kidnappings, often along ethnic and religious lines. Farmers, traders, and churchgoers are frequent targets of attacks, while government responses have been criticized as slow or inadequate.
The Federal Government and Kaduna State authorities initially denied reports of the Kurmin Walli kidnapping. However, the Inspector General of Police later confirmed the attack and acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of the victims.
Despite security forces being deployed to the area, residents say attacks and abductions continue to occur across Kajuru LGA and nearby communities. Locals have frequently complained about insufficient patrols and delayed response times, which embolden criminal groups.
The circulation of false information claiming that 80 victims had escaped has drawn condemnation from community leaders and rights groups. Many fear that such misinformation could reduce pressure on the government and give a false sense of security to residents and families of the kidnapped victims.
Binniyat’s clarification highlights the urgent need for accurate and timely reporting from both authorities and media outlets covering insecurity in Nigeria.
Community leaders have renewed calls on the Kaduna State Government and the Federal Government to intensify rescue operations and provide updates to the public on progress. They stressed that families of the victims are living in fear and anxiety, with limited information on the fate of their loved ones.
Southern Kaduna Peoples Forum and other local organizations are urging the government to increase security presence, conduct sustained patrols, and engage in intelligence-led operations to prevent further abductions.
They have also called on the federal authorities to collaborate with local communities in security planning and to ensure that villages like Kurmin Walli have adequate protection from recurring attacks.
As of the time of Binniyat’s statement, none of the 166 kidnapped victims had been rescued, and there was no official confirmation of escapes. Some villagers who had fled during the attack are returning home cautiously, citing perceived or real improvements in local security, but the kidnapped hostages remain in captivity.
Authorities are under pressure to respond quickly and transparently to prevent misinformation and reassure the public that the safety of residents is a priority.
The situation in Kurmin Walli reflects broader security challenges in parts of northern and central Nigeria, where communities face repeated attacks from armed groups and insurgents. Humanitarian organizations and civil society groups continue to advocate for stronger measures to protect vulnerable populations and prevent future kidnappings.