…“We visited the churches where the alleged kidnapping was said to have occurred and found no trace of any incident.”
KADUNA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State became the focus of confusion on Monday after conflicting reports emerged over the alleged abduction of more than 170 worshippers by suspected terrorists during coordinated attacks.
Initial reports claimed that the attacks occurred on Sunday during church services in Kurmin Wali community. The affected churches were said to include branches of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. According to eyewitness accounts, gunmen reportedly stormed the area in large numbers, firing sporadically to scare residents before targeting worship centres.
The development sparked widespread anxiety across the state after the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, confirmed that over 170 worshippers were allegedly abducted during the attacks.
Residents of Kurmin Wali told iNews Times that the attackers struck almost simultaneously, surrounding the churches and cutting off escape routes. They claimed worshippers, including women and youths, were forced out of the churches and marched into nearby forests.
Local sources further alleged that the attackers fired gunshots into the air to intimidate residents and prevent intervention. Some residents said a few victims, mostly elderly persons, were later released, while the majority remained in captivity.
Confirming the incident, Rev. Hayab described the situation as deeply troubling, stating that information available to him indicated that about 172 worshippers were abducted, with nine managing to escape and 163 still being held by the attackers.
“I don’t like to focus on figures, but what we gathered from the area suggests that many people were taken,” he said. “It is a very painful and sad situation. However, we will not give up hope. We are working with security agencies and the government to ensure the safe return of our people.”
The CAN leader urged calm and restraint, stressing that the Christian community would not allow the incident to provoke violence or division.
“We know the efforts being made by security agencies and the government to restore peace in Kaduna State. We will continue to cooperate with them. If the intention of these attackers is to provoke anger, they will be disappointed. Our people will return safely,” he added.
However, the claims were strongly refuted by security agencies and local government authorities, who insisted that no kidnapping took place in Kajuru.
Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, dismissed the reports as false and misleading. Speaking to journalists after a State Security Council meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Rabiu described the reports as fabrications by individuals bent on disrupting the peace in the state.
“The story is completely false,” the police commissioner said. “Anyone claiming that people were kidnapped should come forward with names and details of the alleged victims. Until then, it remains a baseless rumour.”
He warned that those spreading unverified information capable of causing panic or unrest would be dealt with according to the law.
Similarly, the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Mr. Dauda Madaki, said security agencies were promptly deployed to Kurmin Wali following the reports. According to him, joint security teams visited the churches mentioned but found no evidence of any attack or abduction.
“When I heard the rumour, I mobilised the police and other security agencies to the area,” Madaki said. “We visited the church where the alleged kidnapping was said to have occurred and found no trace of any incident.”
Madaki added that the village head of Kurmin Wali, Mai Dan Zaria, and the community’s youth leader, Bernard Bona, both confirmed that no such attack took place. He noted that despite repeated requests, those making the allegations had failed to provide the names of any kidnapped persons.
The council chairman alleged that the rumour may have been sponsored by individuals unhappy with the relative peace currently enjoyed in Kajuru. He urged residents to remain calm, go about their lawful activities, and report suspicious movements or rumour mongers to security agencies.
Also reacting, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Sule Shuaibu, SAN, said investigations carried out by the state government, including engagements with CAN leadership and other religious stakeholders, confirmed that the reports were unfounded.
“What was circulated in the public space was completely false,” Shuaibu said, reaffirming the Kaduna State government’s zero tolerance for criminality and its commitment to maintaining peace and security.
Efforts by iNews Times to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his mobile phone were unanswered as of press time.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) weighed in on the controversy, describing the alleged abduction as a grave indictment of the Federal Government’s security architecture. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, the party expressed sympathy with families of the alleged victims, saying the reports had plunged many households into fear and uncertainty.
The PDP lamented the recurring attacks on worship centres across the country, regardless of religious affiliation, and said the trend reflects the Federal Government’s failure to safeguard citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of worship.
“Nigerians should not live in fear when going to churches or mosques,” the party stated. “Insecurity cannot be solved by propaganda. The pain of affected families will always speak louder than any image management effort.”
The opposition party called on the Tinubu administration to demonstrate through decisive action that Nigerian lives truly matter, rather than offering assurances without concrete results.
