Kaduna Kidnappings: Activist Warns Ransom Payments May Be Funding Private Terror Armies

Founder of the Community Development and Rights Advocacy Foundation, Steven Kefas, has raised serious concerns over the worsening insecurity in parts of Kaduna State, warning that proceeds from ransom payments are allegedly being used by non-state actors to build armed networks that could threaten national stability.

Speaking in a monitored interview, Kefas said that while there has been a decline in mass casualty attacks in Kaduna compared to previous years, kidnapping has surged in areas such as Kajuru, Chikun and Kaura local government areas. He described the situation in several rural communities as dire, noting the complete absence of government presence, infrastructure and basic services.

According to him, many of the affected communities lack roads, electricity, schools, healthcare facilities and even telecommunication networks, leaving residents vulnerable to armed groups who operate with little resistance. Kefas said kidnappings have become a daily occurrence, often underreported, with women and children frequently targeted.

He criticised the initial denial by local authorities following the recent abduction of 177 worshippers from three churches in Kajuru, describing it as irresponsible and damaging to public trust. Kefas insisted the incident occurred, revealing that 11 victims later escaped, accounting for conflicting figures reported publicly.

Kefas further alleged that ransom payments are directly linked to the procurement of weapons. Citing accounts from a former kidnap victim, he claimed that arms suppliers often arrive at terrorist camps on the same day ransom is delivered, suggesting an organised cycle of abduction, payment and rearmament.

He warned that the situation goes beyond criminality, pointing to targeted attacks, land displacement and cross-border infiltration of armed fighters from the Sahel region. According to him, these factors indicate the gradual formation of a private terror army.

Kefas called on government to move beyond denial and symbolic visits, urging decisive military action, transparency and political will to reclaim ungoverned spaces and restore citizens’ confidence.