Nigerian police have confirmed that a mass abduction did occur at churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday, after initially dismissing reports of the incident as false.
The Nigeria Police Force acknowledged on Monday that worshippers were kidnapped during church services, reversing earlier statements from Kaduna State Police Commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, who had described the reports as “mere falsehood” being spread by “conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos.”
According to community leader Ishaku Dan’azumi Sarkin, armed men attacked three churches in the area and abducted 177 people. He reported that 11 people managed to escape, several were injured, and no deaths occurred.One survivor, a church member who escaped with his daughter, recounted the harrowing ordeal: “We were in Church when all of a sudden we heard noise from outside. I stepped out of the church and saw four armed men standing outside.” The attackers forced worshippers from multiple churches to march into the bush, where the survivor said he saw “a lot of people there” before managing to escape through the crowd.
In a press statement dated January 20, 2026, Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin explained that the initial confusion arose during a security council meeting convened by the Governor, where some local officials disputed earlier police confirmation of the incident.
“Comments made by the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, during a media interaction were intended to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed,” the statement clarified, adding that the remarks “were not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation.” Following verification from operational units and intelligence sources, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has directed the deployment of tactical units, search-and-rescue operations, and intensified patrols to Kajuru and surrounding communities.
The incident adds to Nigeria’s ongoing security crisis, which includes kidnappings by criminal gangs seeking ransom, an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, and intercommunal violence. In November, more than 300 students and teachers were seized from a Catholic school before being released in two groups. The United States recently conducted airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting Islamist militant camps in northwestern Nigeria, with President Donald Trump warning of further action if attacks on Christians continue. Nigeria’s foreign ministry has emphasized the country’s commitment to protecting all citizens regardless of faith.
The police force has appealed to the public and media to rely on official communications and avoid speculation that could jeopardize rescue operations.
