Kaduna residents, CAN confirm 160 kidnapped; police, govt deny incident

The Kaduna State Police Command, the Kajuru local government chairman, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and residents of Kurmin Wali in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have disagreed over reports that more than 160 worshippers were abducted during church services on Sunday. According to CAN and community leaders, the incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. at ECWA and Seraphim–Cherubim churches, where armed men allegedly stormed the area and abducted worshippers. They said 11 other victims managed to escape from their abductors. The remote community has been under repeated attacks by bandits terrorising the area since 2018.

Village head escapes mass abduction The village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, recounted how he narrowly escaped the attack. Speaking to Daily Trust on the phone, Dan’azumi said the assailants, who came on foot and were armed with guns, abducted 177 people, although 11 later escaped. “Now there are 166 people in their custody — men, women and children. This is not the first time they have attacked our town. From my own count, they have invaded our community about 23 times since 2018,” he said. He added that while previous attacks usually involved the abduction of one to five people, this was the first time more than 100 people were taken at once. Dan’azumi further disclosed that just a week earlier, bandits abducted 21 people who were later released after ransom was paid, only for the attackers to return the following Sunday. “They beat us with sticks they were holding. Once a person falls into their hands, all that remains is prayer,” he said, adding that many residents now sleep in the bush at night. He appealed for urgent government intervention, noting that the community is “deeply in debt” due to repeated ransom payments. He also commended security agencies and the local council chairman for visiting the village after the attack to assess the situation.

CAN confirms attack The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has confirmed the incident, describing it as sad and disturbing. Speaking to Daily Trust, Hayab said two churches were affected during the attack. Although he declined to be drawn into figures, he admitted that the situation was troubling. “I don’t like talking about numbers, but information I received from the area indicated that about 172 people were abducted, while nine managed to escape, leaving about 163 still in the custody of the abductors,” he said. He described the incident as painful but insisted that the church would not lose hope. “It is a very tough and sad situation, but we will not give up. The security agencies and the government are making efforts towards restoring peace in Kaduna, and we acknowledge and appreciate that,” he said. Hayab added that despite what he described as “this new bridge of evil,” the church remains resolute. “Whatever the reason behind this attack, we will not give up. We want to work with the security agencies and the government to ensure that our people return safely,” he said. He said CAN is committed to collaboration rather than blame. “We will work with security and the government to ensure these people come back. We know the efforts already put in place to restore peace, so we cannot accuse those who are genuinely working,” he added. Hayab warned that attempts to provoke anger would fail, expressing confidence that the abducted worshippers would be rescued. “If they think they are provoking us, they will be surprised. We will get our people back, just as others have returned in recent times,” he said.

Police deny mass kidnapping The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Rabiu Muhammad, dismissed reports of a mass kidnapping in Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area. He said security agencies were immediately mobilised after receiving information about a suspected bandit attack. He said the police, military and other security personnel, alongside the local government chairman, visited the community but found no evidence to support the claims. “Up till now, nobody has been able to provide the name of any person allegedly kidnapped from the community,” Rabiu said. He added that there was no record of any attack or the abduction of over 300 people, as widely reported. The police commissioner warned those spreading false information to desist, stressing that security agencies remain ready to respond to genuine threats. “If they do not stop this kind of menace, we will arrest anyone found wanting and deal with them according to the law,” he said, urging anyone with contrary claims to present verifiable names of alleged victims.

LGA chairman says no attack The Chairman of Kajuru Local Government, Dauda Madaki, also dismissed reports of an attack in Kurmin Wali, describing them as mere rumours. Speaking on Monday after security meetings at Government House, Madaki said he personally visited the area with security agencies, including the police, military, DSS and other special forces. He said the community was calm, and visits to the churches mentioned in the reports revealed no sign of an attack. According to him, village leaders explained that the concern arose from an incident three days earlier when military personnel chased some individuals around Agula Mountain. Madaki said no names of victims were provided, and no one was hospitalised. “To the best of my knowledge, there was no attack,” he said, adding that security in Kajuru has improved and peace remains a top priority.

Kaduna govt denies kidnapping reports Also, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shauibu (SAN), said that the CAN chairman and other religious leaders personally interacted with residents of the area. “They found out that what was pushed out to the public sphere was completely false,” Shauibu said. He assured that the Kaduna State Government maintains a zero-tolerance policy for criminality and is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all communities in the state.

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