TERRORISTS, around 7am on Sunday, January 15, kidnapped about 25 worshippers when they attacked New Life for All Church in Jan-Tsauni, Gidan Haruna community, Kankara Local Council of Katsina State as they gathered to commence service.
According to Reverend Ishaya Jarau, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Aminu Masari, who disclosed the incident to journalists on Sunday afternoon, “the terrorists abducted 25 worshippers and left the church pastor with injuries.”
He said nine of the abducted persons later managed to escape from the terrorists and had returned back to the community, adding that following the incident, security personnel in the state had heightened effort to secure the release of the victims.
While confirming the incident, spokesperson of the state Police Command, Gambo Isah, said the pastor was shot and wounded during the attack, adding, however, that only five persons, all females, were abducted. He gave their names as Rabi Isiaku, 15; Rabi Saidu, 36; Rabi Baba, 49; Nooseba Shuaibu, 13 and Saratu Hadi, 27.
”The terrorists stormed the church in large numbers at 7am and abducted five worshippers who were all women. They shot and wounded the pastor, identified as Pastor Haruna. They did not go away with him, but they abducted the women,” he stated.
