There was palpable tension in Kapolu village, located in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, after gunmen invaded the community around 5 p.m.
During the attack, the assailants shot sporadically and abducted no fewer than 30 villagers.
An eyewitness said the gunmen stormed the village in the early evening of 17 October, 2023, killing at least ten people before fleeing with dozens of hostages.
“The sound of gunshots jolted everyone. It sent shivers down our spines as people ran in different directions for safety,” the witness recounted.
Among those abducted were 16-year-old Timilehin Oguntuase and her father, Felix Olufemi Oguntuase.
Mr. Oguntuase later escaped from the kidnappers’ den.
Narrating his ordeal, he said he and others were severely beaten in the forest where they were taken. He was eventually released after negotiating a ransom payment.
Tragically, his daughter, Timilehin, was not as fortunate. She was killed in another camp in the forest where the female victims were held.
Local vigilantes who later combed the area discovered that some of the abductees had been murdered.
Mr. Oguntuase identified his daughter’s remains by the clothes she wore.
The incident has been reported to the police.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the attack and assured that efforts were ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
