The Nigeria Police Force has formally confirmed that more than 100 worshippers were abducted from a church in Kurmin Wali, a remote community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, after days of confusion, conflicting accounts, and mounting public anxiety.
The incident, which occurred during a church service in the quiet rural settlement, is the latest in a series of mass abductions that have plagued communities across Kaduna and other parts of northwestern Nigeria. Survivors and local residents say armed men invaded the area in large numbers, firing sporadically and forcing congregants into the surrounding bush before marching them away to an unknown location.
Initial reports from local sources and community leaders indicated that over 100 people, including women and children, were taken. The scale of the attack quickly drew national attention, with families desperately seeking information about their missing relatives and community members accusing authorities of failing to protect them.
However, the situation was further complicated when the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, publicly dismissed the early reports, suggesting that nothing of such magnitude had taken place. His comments, made during a media interaction, fueled confusion and anger among residents who insisted that dozens of their loved ones were missing.
That initial denial has now been overtaken by a more detailed and carefully worded statement from the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Police spokesperson CSP Benjamin Hundeyin acknowledged that the abduction did occur and sought to explain the apparent contradiction between the early dismissal and the latest confirmation.
According to the statement, the Nigeria Police Force recognized the “deep concern” generated by the reports from Kurmin Wali and emphasized that the safety of citizens remains a top priority. The statement noted that once the report of the attack reached authorities, the Kaduna State Security Council was immediately convened by the state governor to assess the situation and coordinate a response.
During that high-level security meeting at the Government House in Kaduna, some individuals from the affected local government area reportedly disputed the initial account of a mass abduction. They challenged the figures being circulated and, in some cases, questioned whether the incident had occurred in the manner described. This conflicting testimony, the police said, created uncertainty and prompted a more cautious approach to public communication.
The Force explained that the Commissioner of Police’s earlier comments were intended to avoid triggering widespread panic while security agencies were still trying to verify the facts on the ground. His remarks, the statement insisted, were not meant as an outright denial of the incident but as a “measured response” pending confirmation of key details, including the exact number of victims and their identities.
As additional reports filtered in from operational units and intelligence sources deployed in the area, the picture became clearer. Subsequent verification confirmed that armed men had indeed attacked Kurmin Wali and abducted a large number of worshippers. With that confirmation, the Nigeria Police Force said it moved to activate a coordinated security operation in conjunction with other agencies.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the full deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and neighboring communities. According to the police, these deployments include tactical units, specialized operatives, and reinforced patrols designed both to track the kidnappers and to prevent further attacks in the region.
Security sources say search-and-rescue operations are now underway, with teams combing difficult terrain and relying on local intelligence to trace the movement of the abductors. The police have not publicly disclosed operational details, citing the need to protect the safety of the hostages and the integrity of the mission, but they insist that efforts are focused on securing the victims’ safe return.
The Kurmin Wali abduction underscores the persistent insecurity facing rural communities in Kaduna State, where banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and communal violence have become grimly familiar. Kajuru, in particular, has suffered repeated attacks over the years, with residents often accusing authorities of slow or inadequate responses.
Community leaders in the area say the latest incident has deepened a sense of vulnerability among villagers who feel caught between heavily armed criminal groups and overstretched security forces. Many residents live in isolated settlements, far from major highways and urban centers, making them easy targets for gangs who can move in and out with relative ease.
Human rights advocates and security analysts have long warned that the proliferation of armed groups in the northwest, combined with porous borders, weak local policing, and limited economic opportunities, has created a fertile environment for mass kidnappings. Such abductions have become a lucrative criminal enterprise, with victims’ families often pressured into paying large ransoms.
In the wake of the Kurmin Wali attack, questions are being raised not only about the capacity of security agencies to prevent such incidents, but also about the clarity and consistency of official communication. The initial dismissal of the abduction reports, followed by a later confirmation, has drawn criticism from some Nigerians who argue that authorities should err on the side of transparency when lives are at stake.
The police, for their part, are urging the public to understand the complexities of verifying information in remote and volatile areas. They maintain that premature or inaccurate statements can inflame tensions, spread fear, and complicate rescue efforts. Nonetheless, the Force has acknowledged the need for “thorough verification” and more careful handling of sensitive information in future incidents.
For the families of those taken from the church in Kurmin Wali, the focus remains on the fate of their loved ones. Many have gathered in small groups, praying, waiting for news, and clinging to hope that the ongoing operations will bring the captives home alive.
Local religious leaders have called for calm, urging communities not to resort to reprisals or vigilantism, while also pressing the government to do more to protect worshippers and rural residents. Civil society organizations are demanding a comprehensive security strategy that goes beyond emergency deployments and tackles the root causes of the violence.
As security forces intensify their operations in Kajuru and surrounding areas, the Kurmin Wali abduction stands as another stark reminder of the human cost of Nigeria’s security crisis. The eventual outcome of the rescue efforts, and the government’s ability to prevent similar attacks, will be closely watched by a public increasingly weary of promises and desperate for tangible results.
