January 20, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Terrorists allegedly abducted 172 christian worshipers from three churches in the Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area on Sunday, January 18, 2026, prompting intense public concern and official denials from security authorities.
In initial statements circulated by community leaders and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 northern states, including the Federal Capital Territory, it was claimed that terrorists stormed three churches ECWA and Cherubim and Seraphim denominations while services were ongoing, firing shots to disperse residents and whisking away congregants, including women and youths, into nearby forests.
Rev. Joseph John Hayab, CAN chairman for the region, described the alleged incident as “sad” and indicated that out of an estimated 172 worshippers, nine were said to have escaped, leaving *about 163 still in captivity. CAN representatives expressed determination to work with security agencies and government authorities toward the safe return of the missing worshippers.
However, senior security officials in Kaduna State have categorically denied that any such kidnapping occurred. Kaduna State Police Commissioner Muhammad Rabiu labelled the reports as “fabrications” spread by so-called conflict entrepreneurs intent on destabilising the region’s fragile peace. He challenged those circulating the claims to produce names and particulars of alleged victims, warning that rumour-mongers would face legal consequences.
Kajuru Local Government Chairman Dauda Madaki, who said he mobilised police and other security forces to investigate, maintained that no evidence of any attack was found when officials visited the churches where the alleged abductions were said to have occurred. In his account, both the village head and the local youth leader confirmed that “nothing of that nature happened.”
Kaduna’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu SAN, echoed the denial, asserting that engagements with community and religious leaders revealed the circulating reports to be “completely false.” He reaffirmed the state government’s policy of zero tolerance for criminality while urging residents to remain calm and report suspicious activities to authorities.
The conflicting narratives come amid ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria, particularly in rural and remote communities where kidnappings and banditry have become distressingly frequent. Independent reports from international agencies suggest that gunmen have attacked multiple churches and abducted worshippers in northwest Nigeria, with some accounts citing more than 150 worshippers taken during coordinated assaults in Kaduna State figures that have not been confirmed by security forces.
Opposition voices have seized on the confusion to criticise the federal government’s handling of the broader security crisis. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned what it described as a “normalisation of insecurity,” framing the alleged mass abduction whether confirmed or not as emblematic of a deteriorating security environment and calling for urgent, decisive action to protect citizens’ rights and safety.
As Nigeria grapples with widespread violence and kidnapping threats attributed to criminal gangs and armed groups in the northwest, differing reports about the Kaduna incident underscore the challenges faced by authorities and the media in verifying events on the ground. Local residents and families seeking clarity continue to await independent confirmation, while security agencies maintain that the alleged kidnapping narrative is unsubstantiated.