Kurmin Wali community in Southern Kaduna has been plunged into anguish and uncertainty as kidnappers holding 166 Christian worshippers reportedly demanded a ₦29 million deposit, days after a coordinated attack on three churches. What began as a peaceful Sunday service ended in terror when gunmen stormed worship centres and abducted scores of worshippers, marking the second major attack on the community within one week.
Although initial reports put the number of abducted worshippers at 177, emerging updates indicate that at least 166 victims remain in captivity. The incident sparked confusion on Monday after the Kaduna State Government, the police command and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area initially dismissed the reports, despite confirmation by the Northern chapter Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, who alerted journalists to the attack.
The controversy was later laid to rest on Tuesday night when the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the abductions via a post on X. He clarified that earlier comments by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Rabiu, were not a denial of the incident but a “measured response” pending field verification, including the exact identities and number of victims.
As negotiations reportedly begin, families of the abducted worshippers remain trapped in emotional turmoil, torn between hope and fear. Community leaders are now urging swift security intervention to secure the victims’ release and prevent further attacks, warning that the growing pattern of church abductions is deepening insecurity and eroding public confidence in safety across Southern Kaduna.