Victims of terrorism in Kaduna gather to highlight challenges at interactive forum

GABRIEL UDEH, KADUNA

Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) has declared that Nigeria possessed the capacity to defeat terrorism and end widespread insecurity if leaders confront the crises with honesty, courage and sustained commitment.

The organisation made the assertion during an interactive engagement with 150 victims of kidnapping and violent attacks, drawn from the 23 LGAs across Kaduna State, where survivors recounted painful experiences of abduction, killings and displacement.

Chief Executive Officer of CHAIN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said Nigeria’s security challenge had persisted not because the country lacks the means to overcome it, but because decisive and transparent leadership was urgently required.

He said government must treat insecurity as a national emergency and move beyond routine assurances to practical action capable of restoring public confidence, a suggestion that was corroborated by a former United States military officer and missionary journalist, Antonio Graceffo.

According to Rev. Hayap, citizens across affected communities have become exhausted by the recurring kidnappings and killings, while many now fear that violence is gradually being a normal thing.

“Our simple appeal is that government should bring to an end this evil of kidnapping and killing. Let the killing stop. We have what it takes to stop this. We are challenging leaders to have the will,” Hayab said.

He noted that insecurity has crippled farming activities, weakened livelihoods and disrupted education in many rural communities, especially in northern states where attacks on villages have forced many residents from their homes.

Hayab added that people who once depended on agriculture for survival are now afraid to cultivate their farms, worsening poverty and food concerns, urging citizens to also play their part by cooperating with security agencies, sharing intelligence and adopting lawful vigilance measures to safeguard their communities.

“We live in these communities. We know our environment more than anybody. We must collectively work with security agencies and government to bring this evil to an end,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, a former United States military officer and missionary journalist, Antonio Graceffo said Nigeria has the human resources, institutions and social structures needed to defeat terrorism.

He said the country has intelligent citizens, traditional institutions, churches, community networks and dedicated personnel that can be mobilised to tackle insecurity effectively.

“I think Nigeria definitely has the capacity to do this. You have intelligent people, dedicated people and structures in place. You can work together to solve this problem,” he said.

The foreign guest, however, called on the international community to support Nigeria through partnerships and assistance, stressing that any lasting solution must remain Nigerian-led.

He warned that repeated attacks were creating dangerous public numbness, where daily killings no longer shock citizens as they should.

“The attacks are happening every single day and people are becoming numb to it. It is horrible that people can be killed and it becomes normal because it happened yesterday or the day before,” he said.

Victims who attended the programme narrated harrowing ordeals of captivity, ransom payments and emotional trauma.

One of the participants, Mrs. Love Marcus, recounted how she was abducted while pregnant in November last year, after her husband was killed in the same attack. She said she and 13 other community members were taken away, with a ransom of over N70 million reportedly paid before their release.

According to the survivor, two of the victims were killed in the kidnappers’ camp, while she gave birth to a baby boy while still in captivity.

Another survivor, Mrs. Sim Paul said she spent weeks in captivity after abductors demanded millions of naira before her release.

CHAIN said the gathering was organised to provide healing, encouragement and practical guidance for communities traumatised by violence.

It was observed that the intervention reflects increasing calls on authorities to combine military operations with honest leadership, stronger community engagement and measurable reforms in order to reverse Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis.