Chairman of the Christian Association Of Nigeria
in Kaduna, Joseph Hagan, has said churches in
the state spent over N300m to secure the release
of members kidnapped in the last four years.
Hagan made the revelation during an interview
with TheCable on Friday.
He said over 500 members of CAN had been
abducted in the state between 2015 and 2019,
adding that more than 20 churches especially
those located in communities along Kaduna-
Abuja Road, had been shut as people living in
those areas had relocated as a result of the
activities of kidnappers.
He said, “In the past four years, Christians in
Kaduna State have suffered a lot.
“Generally, people in Kaduna have paid
kidnappers a lot of ransom to ensure the release
of either their family members or church
members or neighbours or someone they know.
“It is sad to know that the church in Kaduna has
paid over N300m to kidnappers in the last four
years.”
Hagan said the most embarrassing of such
ransoms is that of a pastor whose kidnappers
insisted that the N600,000 ransom must be
accompanied with cigarettes worth N10,000.
According to him, in Kachia, a reverend father
was abducted and a ransom of N1.5m was paid
but he has not been released after three months,
an indication that he might have been killed.
He added, “We don’t collect our offerings to give
kidnappers, our offerings are supposed to be
used for evangelism and catering for the needy.
“Now the money we are supposed to use for
evangelism so that evil in the society would be
reduced is being spent on paying ransom to
kidnappers.”
Spokesperson for the Kaduna Police Command,
Yakubu Sabo, was not available for comments as
of the time of filing this report.
He neither answered calls nor responded to a text
message sent to his mobile number.
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