Conflicting accounts emerged on Monday over reports that more than 170 worshippers were abducted by terrorists during coordinated attacks on three churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The affected churches were said to include ECWA and Cherubim and Seraphim congregations, which residents claimed were attacked on Sunday while services were ongoing. According to local accounts, the assailants arrived in large numbers, firing gunshots to scare residents before surrounding the churches and forcing worshippers into nearby forests.
Eyewitnesses said the attacks happened almost simultaneously in the Kurmin Wali community, with the gunmen targeting church premises during worship. Women, youths and elderly members of the congregations were reportedly among those taken away. Some of the elderly victims were later released, while many others were said to remain in captivity.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, described the situation as distressing. He said information reaching CAN indicated that about 172 worshippers were abducted, nine of whom managed to escape, leaving 163 still in the hands of their captors.
“It is painful and heartbreaking,” Hayab said. “But we will not lose hope. Security agencies and the government are making efforts to restore peace in Kaduna State, and we appreciate those steps. We want to work closely with them to ensure our people are rescued safely.”
He added that the attacks would not weaken the resolve of the Christian community. “If this was meant to provoke anger, it will fail. Our people will return, just as others who were abducted in the past have come back.”
However, the Kaduna State Police Command strongly denied that any kidnapping took place in Kajuru. Speaking after a State Security Council meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, dismissed the reports as false and accused “conflict entrepreneurs” of spreading misinformation to undermine peace in the state.
“There was no kidnapping in Kajuru,” Rabiu said. “Anyone claiming otherwise should come forward with names and details of the alleged victims. Those spreading false information will face the full weight of the law.”
The Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, also refuted the claims, saying security agencies immediately visited Kurmin Wali after the reports surfaced but found no evidence of an attack.
“When I heard the rumour, I mobilised security personnel to the area. We visited the church mentioned in the report and found nothing to suggest that any kidnapping occurred,” Madaki stated. He added that the village head, Mai Dan Zaria, and the community’s youth leader, Bernard Bona, both confirmed that no such incident happened.
Madaki further challenged those making the claims to provide a list of abducted persons, noting that none had been submitted. He alleged that the rumours were being spread by individuals unhappy with the relative peace currently being enjoyed in the area. He urged residents to remain calm and continue their normal activities while reporting suspicious movements to security agencies.
Also reacting, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu, SAN, said investigations and consultations with CAN and other religious leaders showed that the reports were unfounded. He reaffirmed the state government’s zero-tolerance stance on criminal activities.
Efforts to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, for confirmation were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not returned as of press time.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the alleged abduction as a serious failure of the Federal Government’s security framework. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party expressed sympathy with the families of the affected worshippers, saying the incident had thrown many homes into fear and uncertainty.
The PDP noted that repeated attacks on worship centres, regardless of religious affiliation, highlight the government’s inability to protect citizens’ right to worship freely.
“Nigerians should not be afraid to go to churches or mosques,” the statement read. “Insecurity cannot be resolved through propaganda. The suffering of victims’ families speaks louder than image management. The Tinubu administration must show through concrete action that Nigerian lives truly matter.”