200 Christians Held Hostage Near Army Camps, Yet No Rescue.
In a disturbing revelation, reports indicate that around 200 Christians remain captive in a terrorist camp near Rijana, approximately 20 miles south of Kaduna City. This camp, alarmingly close to Nigerian military bases, has become a site of extreme suffering, where hostages endure starvation, torture, and inhumane treatment.
The situation first came to light when TruthNigeria reported on February 26 that six adults and two children had been released after spending 85 days in captivity. Their release, however, was not secured through military intervention but by a ransom payment of $30,000 from their desperate relatives. Survivors describe conditions of brutal daily beatings and prolonged deprivation.
Among the victims is five-year-old Tiro Nuhu, who survived the 85-day ordeal and is now deeply traumatised. Another victim, Mr Jibril Zephaniah, who suffered 90 days of starvation, was barely able to stand and required assistance from Simon Nuhu to board a rescue vehicle on February 23, 2025. These cases underscore the severe neglect and lack of decisive action from authorities.
Dr Gregory Stanton, the founding president of Genocide Watch and chairman of the Alliance Against Genocide, strongly condemned the Nigerian military’s apparent indifference to the crisis:
“What is most shocking is that this kidnapping, imprisonment, starvation, and torture of Nigerian villagers is happening just miles from Kaduna, under the noses of the Nigerian military. The Army’s complicity is clear—either cattle-owning generals are being paid off, or they are too corrupt and cowardly to act. The UN Human Rights Council must appoint an international commission of inquiry, and complicit generals should face demotion and prosecution.”
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Concerns about government complicity have been echoed by Kyle Abts, Executive Director of the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON):
“There is increasing evidence that elements within the Nigerian government are complicit in these ongoing atrocities. The systematic failure to rescue hostages, prosecute terrorists, or protect vulnerable communities raises serious questions about whether government officials are turning a blind eye—or worse—actively enabling these crimes.”
Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, has called for urgent U.S. intervention:
“The Nigerian government must be held accountable for allowing these atrocities to continue. I call on the U.S. to take decisive action on behalf of persecuted Christians in Nigeria.” He added, “Aid is not reaching these people, and we need to help them now.”
Douglas Burton, managing editor of TruthNigeria, warns that the scope of the crisis may be far greater than initially believed:
“The Kauru Crisis is bigger than we thought. As many as 200 hostages have been languishing in Rijana for months, while 97 victims have been kidnapped from Kauru County since December. Villages are turning into ghost towns, yet authorities in Abuja remain silent, and Nigerian media have largely ignored the crisis. Even church leaders have failed to speak out.”
Despite repeated enquiries, Nigerian military and police officials have remained silent, failing to respond to the allegations as of March 4, 2025. The lack of decisive government intervention and international inaction has left the fate of these hostages hanging in uncertainty, deepening the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria.
As calls for justice grow louder, the question remains: Will the global community stand by while hundreds suffer under captivity, or will decisive action finally be taken to address these grave human rights violations?
SOURCE: https://www.einnews.com/
Content Credit| Oyedepo Oluwafifedoyinsola
Picture Credit | https://www.bbc.com/news
