Meanwhile, an eyewitness, Bashir Usman, said one of the female worshippers had one of her ears cut off by the attackers.
The PUNCH reported that suspected terrorists on motorcycles had, in the early hours of Sunday, attacked the Maranatan Baptist Church and the St. Moses Catholic Church, killing three worshippers and abducting several others.
The state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, through its Vice Chairman, Rev. Chris Annger, had confirmed the incident, saying, “33 people were kidnapped and three worshippers were killed. One person was injured and six motorcycles were carried away by the bandits during Sunday service.”
Also, the state government through the State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the attack and the killing of three worshippers.
But on Monday, Elisha Mari, who’s also the traditional ruler of Aungwan Fada at Rubu community, in Kajuru, kidnapped alongside others by the bandits, told newsmen that the bandits set him on self recognition as a monarch, to go and look for N100m as ransom to release other victims.
The monarch spoke to journalists when Heads of Security Agencies and officials of the state government visited him on an on-the-spot assessment tour of the attacked communities on Monday.
Mari also disclosed that he was part of those abducted by the terrorists who rode on over 30 motorbikes into the villagers.
The monarch further noted that it took the victims about two hours before they could arrive at the bandits camp where the over 30 hostages were kept.
He added that he regained his freedom from the hoodlums based on the fact that he is a traditional ruler and that the bandits asked him to go and raise the N100m ransom before the abducted worshippers could be set free.
