Kaduna: Anxiety as abducted church worshippers remain in captivity

Kaduna map

Anxiety continues to grip residents of Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State following the abduction of worshippers from three churches in the community, with 166 victims still being held captive one week after the incident.

The abducted worshippers, who include children as young as five years old, women and elderly men, were seized by bandits during church services on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

A total of 177 worshippers were kidnapped during the attack, but 11 later escaped from their captors and returned to the community with injuries and signs of trauma.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, a faith-based human rights organisation, has expressed concern over the continued captivity of the victims, describing their condition as “distressing and life-threatening.”

In a statement issued on Monday by its Research and Press Officer, Reuben Buhari, the organisation said the abductees were being forced to sleep in the open, exposed to cold weather and harsh environmental conditions, without adequate food or medical care.

The Chief Executive Officer of CSW-N, the Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, said the prolonged captivity of the worshippers was worsening the psychological trauma of their families and the wider community.

“These are vulnerable people—children, women and elderly men—who are exposed to hunger, cold and danger every day they remain in the hands of their abductors,” Nmadu said. Punch