CAN: Initial Police Denial of Worshippers’ Abduction Troubling

• Demands responsibility, sensitivity in security communication

•Sani visits, promises safe return of victims

• Atiku laments audacity of bandits

•Government, police denial shameful, declares PDP

Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode, Kuni Tyessi, Linus Aleke in Abuja, David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, said initial public denial of reports on the abduction of 170 worshippers in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, by the Nige-ria Police, before any verification, was not only troubling, but also generated confusion, heightened fear, and unfairly questioned the credibility of eyewitnesses who raised the alarm.

Three churches had been simultaneously attacked in the community last Sunday by gunmen, who abducted 170 worshippers, while some escaped.

But Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, said late Monday that police visited the community and “there was no evidence of the attack”. Rabiu dismissed reports of the attack as “ru-mours…sponsored by people who are not happy with the relative peace that Kajuru has been enjoying since the coming of this administration.”

CAN, in a statement Wednesday, called for responsibility and caution in security communication after reviewing a subsequent press statement by the Nigeria Police confirming the abduction of the 170 worshippers.

The association said it recognised the challenges in verifying security incidents, especially in remote communities. But it said such challenges must not be used as excuses for misinforming the public, particularly, when threats to human life were involved.

In the statement by its National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the Christian body

cautioned that in situations of that gravity, public communication must not appear dismissive of the suffering or fears of affected citizens.

CAN stated, “While the need to prevent panic is understandable, caution must not be communicated in ways that suggest denial or indifference.

“Statements made by senior security officials carry significant weight and should, therefore, be guided by due diligence, empathy, and a clear understanding of their impact on public trust and social stability.”

While making an appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of the abductees, Okoh said CAN had noted the subsequent police confirmation of the incident. He commended Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for directing the deployment of operational and intelligence assets to the affected area.

According to Okoh, “These steps are necessary and welcome. However, they must be accompanied by a more disciplined, people-focused approach to crisis communication going forward.

“We call on all security agencies and relevant authorities to strengthen coordination, improve verification processes, and ensure that credible reports from communities are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

“Victims must be protected, genuine distress calls respected, and misinformation, whether dismissive or sensational, avoided.”

The statement said, “CAN also urges governments at all levels to confront the persistent insecurity across the country with renewed urgency, as repeated incidents continue to endanger lives, disrupt worship, and erode public confidence.”

Sani Visits Kurmin Wali Community, Says He’ll Ensure Safe Return of Kidnap Victims

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, assured that his administration, in collaboration with security agencies, would ensure the safe return of all the people abducted last Sunday during church services in Kurmin Wali community.

Sani, who gave the assurance yesterday during a visit to the community, said he will not rest until the victims returned home safely.

The governor said, “In the last two days, we have been collaborating with the relevant security agen-cies, including the military, the DSS, the police, and the Office of National Security Adviser, to ensure the quick return and recovery of our people that were abducted in this very important community.”

He said even if it was one person that was abducted, “It is the responsibility of the Kaduna State government to protect the lives and property of the people.’’

The governor condemned those he said had been using the unfortunate incident to score political points, admonishing, “We should not be talking about numbers or politics.

“We are talking about the sanctity of human life and dignity here. That is the reason why we will go to any length, collaborating with the security agencies, to ensure the quick return of our people here in Kurmin Wali.”

Sani promised that state government would foot the medical bills of those who sustained injuries during the attack.

He added that the state government would liaise with Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd) to establish a military base in the community, given its proximity to the kidnapping black spots.

Sani said the military had contained the insecurity along Kaduna-Abuja expressway, but bandits had found havens in the hinterland.

He said Kurmin Wali happened to be close to Rijana town, which was one of the epicentres of banditry in the country.

He also promised that the road linking the community to the highway would be constructed, saying the Commissioner for Public Works would do the necessary assessment prior to the ground breaking ceremony for the project.

Sani stated, “We protect the lives of everyone, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation. We are one in Kaduna State. And I’m happy the people of Kurmin Wali have understood that clearly.

“That is the reason why when we came in here, you received us warmly, even those that are mourning and grieving.”

Earlier, the Agwam Kufana, Chief Dauda Titus, said he was in church on Sunday when he received a distress call from the community, notifying him of the attack.

He said, “We refused to comment on the incident since Sunday because we don’t know the number of those that were kidnapped. We only said there was an attack and some people were abducted.’’

Atiku Laments Audacity of Bandits

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed concern over the increasing audacity of bandits, who attacked at will unchallenged.

Reacting to the attack on Kurmin Wali community, Atiku said it was concerning that while some states claimed victory in their peace deals with bandits, the same criminals were busy attacking communities and taking hostages.

According to him, “It’s colossally embarrassing to see non-state actors holding the country hostage and attacking people and taking hostages again and again unchallenged.”

He stated that it was difficult to achieve deterrence in a situation where governors were on their knees begging bandits in the name of peace deals.

The former vice president said while he was not against negotiations to end the violence, he will not accept a situation where bandits dictated peace deals on their own terms.

“Those peace deals always favour the bandits more than their victims and they have always fooled the government’s negotiators,” he said.

Atiku advised that government did not have to wait until bandits launched attacks before responding.

He stated, “Nigerians are no longer impressed by the powerful language of condemnation by the government. They’re more interested in results than rhetoric.

“Experience has shown that if rhetoric were enough to deter the bandits, the menace would have ended a long time ago.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain stressed that the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration must be held accountable to its own campaign promises to end insecurity in the country.

He said, “Nigerians cannot be comforted by excuses. As a former opposition party, the APC held the then government in power to the harshest and merciless standards and therefore, the Tinubu administration must be held to the same standards.”

PDP: Government, Police Denial Shameful

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slammed the federal government’s silence and the initial outright police denial of the kidnapping of about 170 worshippers in Kajuru Local Government Area, saying it represents a dangerous pattern recurrent in the course of the APC administration

PDP said such attitude seemed to represent the normalisation of insecurity and a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth from Nigerians.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party said, “When news of this mass abduction first emerged, the Commissioner of Police Muhammad Rabiu did not just deny that it happened, he recklessly dismissed it as the work of mischief makers, peddled by ‘conflict entrepreneurs’.”

The PDP spokesman said regarding the Kaduna State police commissioner, “He then had the audacity to demand details of victims. The Kajuru local government chairman similarly denied that any kidnap incident occurred within his jurisdiction.

‘’These denials are deeply hurtful, not only because they are evidently false, but because they reveal the manifest levity with which this administration treats serious matters like security.

“What makes this even more painful is that, according to the villagers, the police were immediately alerted when the kidnapping occurred.

‘’They had the opportunity to act. Instead, they chose denial, prioritising the government’s image over the lives of 163 Nigerians.”

Ememobong stated, “Sadly, since the police eventually accepted the reality of the sad incident, after the residents and the Christian Association of Nigeria provided the names of those kidnapped, the Commissioner of Police and Chairman have been silent, without offering any apologies for their irresponsible conduct and failure to protect the people.

‘’This act of public betrayal and failed cover-up is most shameful and condemnably.”

PDP demanded, “An immediate public apology from the Commissioner of Police and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area for their initial denial and failure to act.

‘’That the federal government immediately deploy a high-powered security team to trace, rescue, and safely return these kidnapped Nigerians to their homes and families.’’

The party urged the government to abandon performative governance that prioritised optics over substance.

‘’The business of government is solving problems, not winning applause. One hundred and sixty-three families are waiting. They deserve action, not excuses,’’ PDP said.

NHRC Condemns Killing of Woman, Children in Kano

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned the brutal killing of Mrs. Fatima Abubakar and her six children in Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano State, describing the incident as a gross violation of the right to life and an attack on human dignity.

The tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, January 17, reportedly, involved unknown attackers who broke into the family’s residence, killed the victims with dangerous weapons, and allegedly threw an infant into a well.

Executive Secretary of NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, said the act was not only criminal, but also a serious breach of constitutional and international human rights obligations binding on Nigeria.

Ojukwu stated that the right to life was sacrosanct and must be protected at all times, particularly for vulnerable groups, such as women and children.

He expressed deep concern over the level of violence displayed in the attack, stressing that such acts threaten public safety and undermine the rule of law.

He called on Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies to carry out a comprehensive and transparent investigation to ensure that those responsible were identified and prosecuted.

NHRC extended its condolences to the victims’ family, Dorayi Chiranchi community, and the people of Kano State, assuring them of the commission’s solidarity during the period of mourning.

The commission also reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights across the country, stating its readiness to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability and justice in the case.

Another human rights advocacy group, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA), also condemned the killings, describing the incident as a grave violation of fundamental human rights and a failure of state protection.

In a statement on Tuesday by its legal officer, Hameed Jimoh, the organisation said the killing of a mother and her children had shocked the nation and undermined the values of humanity, justice and the rule of law.

SOJA stated that the incident amounted to a serious breach of the right to life as guaranteed under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as provisions of international human rights instruments to which Nigeria was a signatory.

The group stressed that the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights imposed clear obligations on the Nigerian state to protect life and ensure accountability for violations.

Anambra Catholic Cleric, Rev. Fr. Nwankwo Recounts Ordeal with Gunmen

A Catholic priest, and Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Nwankwo, narrated his ordeal in the hands of gunmen.

In what Nwankwo described as a 44 minutes’ experience in the hands of gunmen, he narrated his ordeal and survival by God’s grace at Ekwulobia roundabout, during an attack on July 9, 2025.

He told journalists that the incident lasted from 7:30am to 8:14am, while on his way to Awka, the state capital, from Ekwulobia.

The priest had a thanksgiving Mass conducted by His Eminence, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, in his Igweakpu village, Ndiowu, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

He said the hoodlums put him in the trunk of his car to take him away, but God saved him.

Nwankwo stated, “I was heading to Awka. The traffic light was red and I stopped waiting for it to turn green. But before this happened, there were gunshots in all directions.

“I saw people shooting from the Nanka road coming towards the roundabout. I saw a lady lying on the road divide on the way towards Isuofia. I guessed that she was hit by the bullet.

“And there were gunshots from the route to Oko, so I exited the car and re-entered because I just drove off from Aguata direction, and the way it happened I wasn’t sure that running back would be safe.

“I was there in the car, in the passenger’s side behind the driver’s seat, then the door of the car was opened, and then one of them with wig and a hood ordered me to come down, to handover the key of the vehicle and to enter the trunk.

“So I did all that. He then started the vehicle, marched on the breaks and said, ‘we will go with this!’ He left the engine running with the driver’s door open, probably for easy escape.

“So that was where I was, utterly helpless, but painfully aware of a possible ordeal in a kidnapper’s den. The gunmen were shooting continuously. From time to time, I heard calls for ‘another magazine!’ maybe by those who needed to reload their guns.

“Suddenly, I heard a shout, ‘who is that coming?’ At that point, there was not only an increase in the number and intensity of gunshots but also the sound made by the guns was different.

“I also heard a command: ‘don’t shoot from behind!’ It was after the ordeal that I learnt that the Joint Intervention Force arrived and dislodged the gunmen.”

He said he remained in the trunk, recalling that he remained surprised by his calmness and presence of mind in such a situation, including when a bullet struck his toe at 7.48am.

He said, “Having committed myself into God’s hands, I was there waiting, not knowing whether, when and where another bullet might strike. Thanks be to God that no other bullet hit me. I am sure that God intervened and saved me.

“The vehicle sustained 19 bullet hits. Indeed, it was not simply riddled with bullets, but it was systematically shot at to neutralise any potential threat. Even the spare tyre beneath the trunk where I was lying was struck by bullets.

“The passengers’ seat where I hide myself before being ordered to the trunk by one of the gunmen was scattered by bullets. It was clear that God used this gunman to get me to a safe part of the vehicle, and even in the trunk, God still provided an extra protection.”

Army Neutralises Terrorists, 62 Hostages Freed in Coordinated Operation

Nigerian Army’s Operation FANSAN YAMMA announced the successful elimination of two terrorists and rescue of 62 hostages in coordinated operations in Kebbi and Zamfara states.

Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lieutenant-Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, said the operations were conducted in close collaboration with allied security forces and local vigilantes.

According to a statement by the army, in Kebbi State, troops ambushed members of the Lakurawa Terrorist Group, near the border between Augie and Binji local government areas, killing two terrorists and recovering two motorcycles used by the insurgents.

The terrorists were wearing camouflage uniforms, and the motorcycles were padded with thick blankets and fitted with equipment for long-range movement.

Equally, in Zamfara State, troops stormed Munhaye Forest, a known hideout of notorious bandit leader Kachalla Alti, and rescued 62 kidnap victims. The army said the hostages had been put in safe custody, and efforts were ongoing to reunite them with their families.

“The operations underscore the relentless efforts of Operation FANSAN YAMMA and its partners to dismantle terrorist networks, restore security, and protect lives in the region,” Osoba said in the statement.

Troops Eliminate 20 Terrorists, Soldiers Pay Supreme Price During Fierce Encounter

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) killed more than 20 terrorists during a fierce and sustained encounter with insurgent fighters in the Timbuktu Triangle of Borno State, the military said.

The Joint Task Force, North East, disclosed that the operation recorded significant gains, but it was not without sacrifice, as some soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) lost their lives in the course of the fighting.

In a statement, Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, said troops had continued their aggressive advance into the Timbuktu Triangle, steadily degrading terrorist networks entrenched in the area.

According to him, the latest phase of operations focused on clearing and dominating key terrorist enclaves, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas.

Uba said, “As troops advanced, they made intermittent contact with fleeing terrorist elements. These encounters were met with heavy volumes of fire, resulting in the neutralisation of several terrorists.”

He explained that while consolidating at a harbour area, about six kilometres north of Chilaria, on January 20, troops came under threat from two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs).

“Through vigilance and swift action, one of the VBIEDs was successfully neutralised. However, the second VBIED breached the defensive position and affected some logistics platforms,” he said.

During the attack, Uba added, some gallant soldiers and CJTF members paid the supreme price, while others sustained varying degrees of injury.

He said the wounded personnel were promptly evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital for treatment.

Uba said throughout the evacuation process, Nigerian Air Force platforms from the Air Component, working in synergy with other Nigerian Army air assets, provided continuous overwatch to ensure the safe extraction of casualties and the security of ground troops, who continued to engage and neutralise terrorist elements.

In a further indication of the scale of losses suffered by the terrorists, troops later uncovered mass graves containing an estimated 20 terrorist bodies.

Uba said the bodies were those killed during previous encounters in the Timbuktu Triangle and buried by their fleeing associates.

“This discovery clearly exposes the extent of terrorist casualties and further discredits the propaganda narratives often pushed by these groups,” he added.

Across the North-east theatre, the military said the security situation remained generally stable, with troop morale and combat efficiency high.