But 58 Christians Languish in Forest Gulags for Months
Policy Urged by National Security Advisor: Gov. Sani
By Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James
(Kaduna) – Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has sparked outrage among Christians over plans to rehabilitate “repentant” terrorists while hundreds of kidnapped Christians remain in captivity across terrorist camps in the state, TruthNigeria has learned.
The official account of the Kaduna State Government, published on its website on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, affirmed that the governor had inaugurated a “Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration Committee” to enhance security.
According to the governor, his administration recognized that force alone cannot secure lasting peace.
“It is in this context that we embraced dialogue; not as a concession, but as a strategic instrument of stability.
Beginning to Rebuild Trust
“Through sustained engagement with community leaders, traditional institutions, and even those willing to renounce violence, we began to rebuild trust where it had long been broken,’’ he maintained.
According to the governor, the project was facilitated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
He did not state how many “repentant” terrorists were captured in the program or how much would be spent.
Middle Belt Forum Accuses Governors of Siding with Terrorists
Credit Facebook page of MBF.
But the program has drawn outright repudiation from the Christian-majority area of Southern Kaduna and the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
“I have always maintained that some Muslim governors consider these terrorists as waging a holy war of Islam and that they are bent on protecting and rewarding them,” said Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), to TruthNigeria on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from Abuja.
“Uba Sani has taken the welfare and security of these terrorists more seriously than that of their victims right from the beginning of his administration in May 2023,” he fumed.
Terrorists Pampered Over Victims
“It is very unfortunate that we have a governor and a National Security Adviser (Nuhu Ribadu) who do not care about the tens of thousands of Christians and even non-Christians that have been ruined by these mass murderers,” Hon. Jonathan Asake, former President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), told TruthNigeria in Kaduna on Tuesday.
“I have never seen where terrorists are pampered and their heinous crimes against humanity written off simply because they claimed to show remorse over their evil,” he said.
Mulling Legal Action Against Program
Capt. Ishaku Joseph (rtd), Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Indigenous Progressive Forum (SKIPFo), said his group was considering legal action to stop what he called an “institutional insult” against law-abiding citizens of Southern Kaduna.
“The wicked idea of rehabilitating terrorists is an institutional insult against the law-abiding citizens of Southern Kaduna,” he said.
“We cannot pay tax to be used for the welfare and enjoyment of outlaws that ought to be facing death sentences or life imprisonment, while government does not care about those who survived their atrocities,” Joseph said.
Bizarre Act Amid Suffering Victims
Reuben Buhari, former Press Secretary to late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and a native of Awon village, Awon precinct, Kachia County, Southern Kaduna, told TruthNigeria that it is bizarre to rehabilitate confessed murderers while ignoring their victims.
58 Christians Still in Terrorists Captivity
Buhari, who is co-founder of Resilience and Aid Dialogue Initiative (RADi), said there are still no fewer than 58 hostages from his Awon precinct being held by terrorists in various camps, some for more than a month.
“Remember the Ariko attack on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, where seven Christian worshippers were killed during Easter service and 37 kidnapped?” he asked.
“Well, they are still there with the terrorists who are asking for One Billion Naira ($700,000) and 35 motorcycles worth about N53 million ($37,000),” he said.
“From Awon, the terrorists struck 22 days ago, killed two people and kidnapped 10, mainly women and children,” he said.
He added that the terrorists are demanding N70 million ($46,000) before releasing them.
And nine secondary school students from Akwando village were kidnapped from an open truck on April 27, 2026, as they were returning to Kachia to resume school, Buhari went on to say.
“I have forgotten how much their ransom is, but it huge!” he said.
The co-founder of RADi, which is involved in humanitarian services, especially for victims of terrorism in the Middle Belt, said one Danlami and his wife were kidnapped while working on their farm in Awon five days earlier, and nothing has been heard about their whereabouts.
Government to Prioritize Victims
“The primary responsibility of the government is to protect lives and property, not the interests of those violating those privileges through violence,” he said.
“We are steady visitors to where these displaced victims of these terrorists are squatting like animals, and I can assure you that Kaduna State and the Federal Government do not have any welfare or programs for them.
“And they are not even asking for food, though most can hardly find food to eat. They just want to be returned to their villages under sustained security, and they will rebuild their lives gradually again,” he said.
“So, the Kaduna State Government has to rethink the rehabilitation of terrorists and focus on their victims,” he added.
TruthNigeria reported in 2024 that Governor Uba Sani had granted pardon to bandits who claimed to have renounced violence, sparking anger among citizens.
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James write for TruthNigeria from Kaduna.
