Kaduna Church Hosts 163 Abduction Victims

Armed assailants have abducted at least 163 worshippers from two churches in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, in a brazen attack during Sunday prayers. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, highlighting the persistent security challenges facing the region.

Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Northern Nigeria, described the attack: “The attackers arrived in large numbers, sealing off the church entrances and forcibly leading worshippers into nearby thickets. It was a terrifying ordeal for everyone present.”

According to Reverend Hayab, a total of 172 people were initially taken, but nine managed to escape. This leaves 163 individuals currently in the hands of their captors.

Local village head, Ishaku Danazumi, reported that three churches in Kurmin Wali village were targeted, resulting in 166 people being abducted on that day. He accused political leaders of denying the scale of the abduction: “Only the politicians are dismissing the reality of what has happened to our people.”

However, Kaduna State police and security officials have denied the claims. State Police Commissioner Muhammad Rabiu told a local television station that there was no evidence to support reports of mass abduction. The State’s Internal Security Commissioner, Sule Shaibu, went further, calling the allegations “completely false.”

Danazumi added that local residents have been living under the constant threat of armed gangs, which has also severely impacted agricultural activities. “In the past, if 10 to 20 people were abducted, we could gather ransom funds and secure their release ourselves. But with such a large number now abducted, we are powerless and have had no choice but to appeal to the authorities,” he explained.

Security experts have noted that kidnapping in Nigeria has increasingly become a lucrative enterprise. A recent report indicates that from July 2024 to June 2025, armed groups across the country collected approximately $1.66 million in ransom payments.

The table below summarises recent abduction statistics and ransom data in Kaduna State:

The escalating abductions continue to pose a severe threat to public safety and local livelihoods, with residents living in daily fear. Analysts warn that without significant improvements in security infrastructure and law enforcement response, such violent incidents are likely to increase further.