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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Seven of the 37 residents of Ariko village in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State abducted by bandits have reportedly died in captivity.
A security analyst and conflict monitor, Mr. Reuben Buhari, has disclosed this.
Buhari, who was spokesman to the late former Kaduna State Governor, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, in a Facebook post shared on Friday, said the information was obtained from one of the recently freed captives, who alleged that the victims died due to the harsh conditions in the kidnappers’ camp.
According to him, the deceased comprised two men, two women and three children.
He alleged that instead of burying the victims, the kidnappers dragged their bodies to a nearby slope and abandoned them there.
Buhari further claimed that one of the deceased was a baby born in captivity to a woman abducted from Ariko village.
He said the child survived for nearly three weeks after birth.
He recalled that when the woman went into labour, another female captive reportedly used her teeth to cut the baby’s umbilical cord because no sharp object was available in the camp.
The security analyst also alleged that the 11 residents abducted from neighbouring Awon village are now being held in the same camp as the Ariko victims.
He added that another pregnant woman from Awon village, who was kidnapped on April 20, reportedly gave birth in captivity two weeks ago, but the newborn died the following day.
Describing the conditions in the camp, Buhari said the freed captive disclosed that those still in captivity sleep in the open without shelter from rain, cold or the scorching sun.
“They sleep on wet ground after rainfall, while most of the remaining children are sick,” he claimed.
Buhari noted that, as of Friday, July 24, 2026, the Ariko victims had spent 110 days in captivity, while the Awon victims had been held for 95 days.
He called for prayers and renewed efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
The claims could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
