The denial of the abduction of 172 people in Kaduna by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has sparked widespread outrage among residents, community leaders, and rights groups.
The incident, reportedly involving armed men storming three churches in Kurmin Wali during Sunday services, has highlighted ongoing security concerns in Nigeria’s northwest region.
According to eyewitnesses and local officials, including state lawmaker Usman Danlami Stingo and community leader Ishaku Dan’azumi Sarkin, gunmen attacked worshippers at an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim church, and a Catholic church on January 19.
Reports indicate the abduction of 172 people in Kaduna State initially, with 11 later escaping, leaving around 161 still missing.
Victims were reportedly forced to lie on the ground before being marched into nearby forests, amid claims of theft and chaos in the community.
However, Kaduna State Police Commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu dismissed reports of the abduction of 172 people.
In a joint statement with local government officials, he described the reports as “mere falsehoods” spread by “conflict entrepreneurs” aiming to cause chaos and undermine the state’s relative peace.
Rabiu challenged anyone with evidence to provide names and particulars of the alleged victims, insisting that police visits to the sites found “no evidence of the attack.”
Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Dauda Madaki, also rejected the reports, saying investigations by the council and security agencies found no evidence of an attack or kidnapping. He said visits to the community and consultations with traditional rulers and youth leaders confirmed that no such incident occurred.
“We visited the area and there was no evidence of any attack. I challenge anyone claiming otherwise to provide the identities of the alleged abducted persons,” Madaki said.
The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), supported the official position, saying interactions with residents showed that the reports were unfounded. He reiterated the state government’s zero-tolerance stance on criminality.
However, a Kaduna-based journalist and human rights activist, Steven Kefas, claimed he had obtained the names of 172 people kidnapped from churches during Sunday services, directly contradicting official denials by the state government and the police.
In a post on his verified Facebook account, Kefas said the abductees were taken from three churches in the Kurmin Wali community, Afogo Ward, Kajuru Local Government Area. He accused local authorities and security agencies of attempting to suppress the truth about what he described as a major security breach.
“I have obtained the names of 172 people kidnapped from three churches during Sunday service in Kurmin Wali, Afogo Ward in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” Kefas wrote.
He further criticised the chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, accusing him of downplaying the incident and failing to stand with the affected residents.
“The chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area should be held accountable for attempting to cover up the suffering of his people and downplaying this serious security incident,” he said.
Kefas also faulted the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, alleging a lack of transparency in handling the matter.
“This is not about discrediting the governor or anybody. This is about setting the record straight,” he added.
Also, a human rights organisation, Christian Solidarity Worldwide–Nigeria (CSW-N), has insisted that more than 100 worshippers were abducted by bandits during attacks on churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, CSW-N’s Research and Press Officer, Reuben Buhari, maintained that the abductions did occur and accused security operatives of obstructing independent verification of the incident.
The group alleged that its fact-finding team was prevented by soldiers from accessing Kurmin Wali, despite presenting valid identification.
According to the statement, after being delayed for about an hour, the team reached Makyali village and proceeded through an unmarked road toward Kurmin Wali.
“Thirty minutes later, as the team was about to enter Kurmin Wali, CSW-N encountered a military convoy, including the chairman of Kajuru Local Government, leaving the community,” the statement said.
“They later refused to allow the CSW-N team entry, despite repeated pleas and the presentation of full identification. The military officer who stopped the team said there was a standing order not to allow us in. Consequently, our team was escorted back to the main road leading to Kaduna State.”
Similarly, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi, has blasted the Nigerian government on following the abduction of 172 worshippers in Kaduna State.
In a statement on Tuesday, Obi lamented what he described as the persistent and unchecked spread of insecurity across Nigeria, questioning how mass abductions have become frequent occurrences in the country.
“I have just been informed that yet again, at the weekend, about 172 worshippers were abducted from churches in Kaduna. This is another unfortunate consequence of a nation where insecurity has been allowed to grow unchecked and unchallenged,” he said.
While noting that government and police authorities have reportedly denied knowledge of the incident, Obi stressed that the recurring nature of such reports, whether confirmed or disputed, points to a deeper national crisis.
“Even with official denials, we must ask ourselves hard questions. Can we continue waking up to news of mass abductions, disputed figures, and denials while citizens live in fear?” he queried.
The former Anambra State governor recalled recent incidents of insecurity in states including Benue, Zamfara, Kano, Niger, and Plateau, noting that Nigeria continues to record alarming levels of violence despite not being at war.
“Nigeria is not at war, yet we are counting victims in numbers that rival conflict zones,” Obi said, adding that a government that fails to prioritise the protection of lives has misplaced its focus.
Obi expressed solidarity with the people of Kaduna and families affected by the reported abductions, assuring them of support and prayers.
“To the people of Kaduna, you are not alone. We stand with you, and to the families whose loved ones were taken, we share in your pain,” he said.
