The Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been thrown into anguish following the abduction of 177 worshippers from ECWA Church and Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2 during Sunday services.
The victims, whose identities have now been revealed, include entire families — men, women, and children — taken away by armed bandits in a coordinated daylight assault. The attack, which occurred around 11:25 a.m., left the once-bustling village deserted, as survivors fled to nearby communities for safety.
Vanguard gathered that the community had only recently paid ₦2.6 million to secure the release of 20 previously kidnapped residents, barely a week before this latest tragedy.
Although government and security officials initially denied the incident, a police situation report confirmed the attack, stating that armed assailants stormed the area, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee into the surrounding forests.
According to the report, security operatives and the military were deployed, but accessibility challenges and poor roads delayed immediate response.
An analysis of the victims’ list paints a grim picture: entire families wiped out in a single raid. The Jonathan family lost 12 members, the Amos family 13, the Markus/Makudi family 10, and others between two and seven members each. The oldest victim is 71-year-old Augustina Matthew, while the youngest is six-year-old Salvation Idris.
Human rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) confirmed the abductions, condemning attempts to obstruct independent verification. The group said the attackers, arriving on motorcycles and on foot, split into groups targeting both churches simultaneously.
“They later released elderly women and young children, while 167 people remain in captivity,” said CSW-N Research Officer, Reuben Buhari, who alleged that security forces barred their team from accessing the scene.
Reacting, CAN Chairman for the 19 Northern States and the FCT, Rev. Dr. Joseph Hayab, accused security operatives of failing to pursue the attackers, claiming their inaction allowed the bandits to escape with the victims.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi described the abduction as “a painful reminder of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity,” calling on authorities to act swiftly to rescue the victims and restore public confidence.
International outrage has also followed the incident. U.S. lawmaker Rep. Riley Moore condemned the abduction as “horrific”, urging the Nigerian government to ensure the safe return of all captives and to protect vulnerable communities from future attacks.
Meanwhile, just hours before the mass kidnapping, another group of bandits struck Kujama community, also in Southern Kaduna, abducting two women and a boy while demanding ₦150 million ransom. A nursing mother was snatched from her home while her three-month-old baby was left behind. Her husband and another man were brutally attacked with machetes as they tried to resist the abduction.
The Kaduna Police Command spokesperson, Mansur Hassan, said investigations are ongoing, promising to provide updates as efforts to track the perpetrators continue.
