Nigeria’s worsening insecurity deepened over the weekend as 156 members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria (C&S) remain in captivity, nearly two weeks after being abducted during a Sunday service in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
At the same time, 26 more people were kidnapped in fresh, coordinated bandit attacks on two communities in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, heightening anxiety across the North-West.
Confirming the Zamfara incidents, Talata Mafara Council Chairman, Yahaya Abubakar, told the BBC Hausa Service that gunmen invaded Matuna and Tashar Kuturu villages, abducting men, women, and children.
“They first struck in Matuna, where three people were kidnapped and one killed,” he said. “Later, they attacked Tashar Kuturu, taking 23 residents after firing sporadically for hours without resistance.”
Abubakar added that the attackers arrived on motorcycles, heavily armed, and mounted a tripod gun to intimidate residents, operating freely for nearly two hours before retreating with their captives.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, the Supreme Head of the C&S Unification Church, Prophet Emmanuel Alogbo, raised alarm over the continued captivity of 156 church members abducted on January 18 during Sunday worship.
Speaking ahead of the church’s 2026 Annual General Conference, Prophet Alogbo lamented Nigeria’s growing insecurity and urged the Federal Government to act decisively.
“We cannot talk about the future without addressing today’s painful realities,” he said. “As we speak, 156 members of our church remain in the den of their abductors. Nigerians now travel in fear, and many roads are no longer safe.”
While commending President Bola Tinubu’s initial efforts to strengthen security and reduce food prices, the cleric called for greater investment in modern military equipment and closer collaboration with religious leaders to foster community-level cooperation.
“Government should work hand-in-hand with faith leaders,” he advised. “We are close to the people and can help restore hope and unity.”
The Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) also expressed deep concern about the fate of the abducted worshippers, warning that their prolonged captivity is taking a severe physical and psychological toll.
In a statement by Reuben Buhari, CSW-N’s Press Officer, the group revealed that the captives—including children as young as five—are being held in harsh conditions, exposed to cold, hunger, and disease without adequate care.
“These are vulnerable individuals—women, children, and the elderly—enduring unimaginable suffering in the wild,” said Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, the group’s CEO. “The delay in rescuing them only worsens public distrust in our security system.”
Public outrage has continued to mount, particularly after initial denials by security agencies, who only later confirmed the mass abduction following pressure from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which published a verified list of the kidnapped worshippers.
As communities across Kaduna and Zamfara mourn yet another round of abductions, calls for urgent government action and lasting security reforms continue to grow louder across Nigeria.
