News
Kaduna abduction: Police finally own up after initial denial
From Louis Edet House, headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), finally came a confirmation on Wednesday, of the abduction of 177 Christians at Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, after days of denial, uncertainty and conflicting reports.
Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesman of the central police authorities came out with a full statement acknowledging the incident, which sparked fear and anxiety among residents, saying the initial denial to prevent public panic over the issue.
Clarifying the official stance by the Kaduna State Police Command, stating there was no such incident during a meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council convened by Governor Uba Sani, Hundeyin said: “Subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur.”
The statement stressed that the police had to apply caution after some individuals from the affected local government area described the report as false, creating uncertainty and the need for further verification by security agencies.
Using its X platform, the NPF wrote: “The Nigeria Police Force acknowledges the deep concern generated by reports of an abduction incident at Kurmin Wali, a remote community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.”
Explaining that comments earlier made by the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Rabiu Muhammad, which were widely interpreted as a denial, were in fact aimed at preventing public panic while details were being confirmed, the statement added that subsequent checks by operational units and intelligence sources confirmed the abduction.
“In response, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities,” the statement said, adding that tactical units had been deployed, patrols intensified, and targeted search-and-rescue operations underway to locate and safely rescue the victims, while restoring calm to the area.
The statement also appealed to the public and the media to rely only on official sources for verified information and to avoid speculation that could jeopardise ongoing operations.
Against the backdrop of the alarm raised by John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the northern region, that scores of worshippers were abducted in the community, Rabiu who had dismissed the report as “false,” challenged those with evidence of the incident to table it.
“Anyone who has evidence should come forward with the list of kidnapped persons and their particulars,” Rabiu had told reporters, a position which was also echoed by officials of the Kaduna State Government.
Sule Shuaibu, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, who also described the development as “completely false,” hinged his position on contacts he had made with residents of the area including officials of CAN.
The official volte-face was made on the heels of the release of the identities of the 177 victims, said to have been kidnapped from ECWA Church and Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2 at in the said community in a raid said to have occurred during services on Sunday.
The list paints a harrowing picture of entire families taken away from their homes and places of worship, leaving the community traumatised and virtually empty of able-bodied residents.
The raid came barely a week after the same community paid N2.6 million ransom to secure the release of 20 residents previously abducted, Vanguard reliably gathered.
While government and security operatives denied the incident, a Police situation report obtained by Vanguard confirmed the attack occurred during church services.
The report stated that information was received at about 5:45pm, on Sunday, indicating that the assailants struck around 11:25am, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee into the surrounding forest.
The situation report read: “Message received from DPO Kajuru indicates that on 18/01/2026 at about 1745hrs an information was received that same date at about 1125hrs, unspecified numbers of bandits armed with sophisticated weapons attacked ECWA church and Cherubim Serafim Church 2 at Kurmin Wali in Kajuru lga, The communities are yet to ascertain the number of worshipers kidnapped to unknown destination, the village is situated in a remote forest area, the DPO mobilized other sister security agencies and the military to the scene which cannot be accessed immediately due to bad road, concerted effort in collaboration with all stakeholders has been intensified to rescue the victims and possibly arrest the perpetrators, investigation has commenced”.
As of yesterday, the village was deserted. Those who escaped had fled to nearby communities to stay with relatives and friends.
Some who sustained injuries during the escape were reportedly still in shock, while poor network coverage and lost phones made it difficult to reach them for comment.
Analysis of the 177 victims
Analysis of the 177 names obtained by Vanguard revealed that entire households were abducted. Families such as the Jonathan household had 12 members kidnapped; the Amos family 13; Markus/Makudi 10; Ishaya and Danisa seven each; Bawa six, Danjuma and Musa five each.
Other families saw four, three, or two members taken away. The oldest victim is 71-year-old Augustina Matthew, while the youngest, Salvation Idris, is a child of six.
Other children include Likita Amos, 6; Jumota Idris, 7; Tessy Amos, 8; Yahaya Joshua, 9; and several 10-year-olds, including Sussana Idris, Synthah Amos, Hezibah and Hezikaiah Jonathan.
The denial by government officials has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups. Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, CSW-N which insisted that the abduction occurred and accused security agents of obstructing independent verification.
CSW-N Research and Press Officer Reuben Buhari said: “Thirty minutes after the incident, as the team was about to enter Kurmin Wali, CSW-N encountered a military convoy, including the chairman of Kajuru Local Government, which was leaving the community.
“They later refused to allow CSW-N team entry, despite repeated pleas and after the team showed full identification. The military officer who stopped the CSW-N said there was a standing order not to allow us in. Consequently, our team turned and was escorted to the main road, back to Kaduna.”
Explaining further, CSW-N added that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and on foot, split into three groups, and simultaneously targeted the churches, adding: “Elderly women and young children were later released, while 11 reportedly escaped, leaving 167 in captivity at the time of the organisation’s engagement with community sources,’’ the group stated.
The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Rev. Dr. Joseph Hayab, accused security agents of enabling the bandits to escape with large number of victims.
He said: “If the security agents had gone after the bandits, they would have prevented them from taking the victims to where they are now hiding. Instead, the security agents only helped the bandits move the victims to a place where they could conceal them and make their demands.
“Had they pursued the attackers immediately, instead of arguing over whether anyone had, indeed, been kidnapped, they would have chased them away, whether they were right or wrong.”
Britain is currently on red-alert and has raised the bar on possible spike in anti Semitism in the country, after a stabbing attack left two Jewish men seriously injured in north London.
Shabana Mahmood Home Secretary, who confirmed fears that the UK faced a growing security risk, spoke on the heels of authorities charging a 45-year-old man following the incident in Golders Green, which police are treating as a suspected terrorist attack.
The victims, aged 34 and 76, were taken to hospital after the assault, with the younger man now discharged and the older victim reported to be in stable condition.
The suspect, identified as Essa Suleiman, who has since been slammed with a two-count charge bordering on attempted murder and possession of a bladed weapon in a public place, is also facing an additional attempted murder charge linked to a separate incident earlier the same day in south London.
Consequent upon his remand in custody with a plan to commence trial before Westminster Magistrates’ Court, UK officials elevated the country’s terrorism threat level to the second highest category, indicating that an attack is considered highly likely, in what Mahmood said reflected broader and sustained security concerns rather than a single
Authorities have pointed to increasing threats tied to foreign actors and a rise in antisemitic incidents across the country. Recent attacks have included arson targeting synagogues and Jewish emergency services, some reportedly linked to external influences.
Police are also reviewing upcoming pro Palestinian demonstrations in London to determine whether tighter restrictions are required. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said efforts are underway to ensure public safety, noting that while protests cannot be banned outright, their scope and movement can be controlled.
Investigations into the stabbing and related incidents remain ongoing as officials assess the wider security implications.
Succour came the way of the David Mark, following the restoration of his leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC), by the Supreme Court, which removed the order by the Court of Appeal for parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of its leadership crisis at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, held that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal acted beyond its jurisdiction by unilaterally issuing such an order after it had already dismissed a case that was brought before it by one of the factions.
“Giving such an order in an appeal it had already dismissed was unnecessary, unwarranted and improper,” the Supreme Court held.
It held that the appeal that was filed before it by Senator David Mark succeeded in part, even as it dismissed the aspect that challenged an ex parte order the Federal High Court made for service of processes in the suit filed by aggrieved members of the party.
The apex court directed the factions to return to the trial court for continuation of hearing of the case.
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had removed Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its portal and website as ADC National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, on April 1, citing the Court of Appeal’s judgment.
The electoral body said it would, in line with the order for maintenance of the status quo ante bellum, not recognise any of the warring factions until the legal dispute is determined.
By Sunny Igboanugo
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