Police Confirm Abduction of Over 160 Persons in Kaduna Community.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Democracy Newsline
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January 21, 2026.
The Nigeria Police Force has officially confirmed the abduction of more than 160 residents following a deadly raid on Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,
reversing its earlier position that there was no verified information regarding the incident.
Reports of the mass abduction first surfaced on Monday, alleging that armed assailants stormed the rural community and kidnapped as many as 170 people. At the time, the police described the reports as unverified and cautioned the public against spreading what it termed “false or exaggerated information.”
However, in a statement released late Tuesday night, the police clarified that its initial response had been misunderstood.
The force explained that it was not dismissing the reports outright but was seeking accurate details, including the identities of the victims and the exact locations from which they were taken.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations conducted by the Force Intelligence Department had established that a large-scale abduction indeed took place.
“Our findings have confirmed that people were abducted in the area. Police operatives have been deployed to Kajuru and surrounding communities to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safe rescue of the victims,” Hundeyin stated.
Traditional authorities and community leaders had earlier raised the alarm. The village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, confirmed that the attack occurred on Sunday morning at about 9:00 a.m., when residents were attending church services.
“They came while we were in church. They spread across the village and surrounded us. Those currently in their custody are 166,” the village head said.
Eyewitnesses told journalists that the attackers struck simultaneously at three different churches, including two branches of the Pentecostal Fellowship Assembly (PFA) and one Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) congregation, causing panic and confusion among worshippers.
According to residents, the attackers were heavily armed and had strategically positioned themselves around the village, cutting off possible escape routes.
“The attack happened around 10 a.m. Some people tried to flee but couldn’t because the gunmen had completely encircled the village,” an eyewitness recounted.
“Later, they gathered everyone in one place and marched them into the forest.”
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, Joseph Hayab, said information from local sources indicated that about 172 people were initially abducted, with nine managing to escape. As of the time of his statement, 163 persons were still unaccounted for.
Other community members put the figure slightly higher, claiming that 177 people were taken, out of which 11 later escaped, leaving roughly 160 victims still in captivity.
The discrepancies in numbers underscore the chaos that followed the attack and the difficulty of compiling accurate records in rural communities with limited communication infrastructure.
The Kurmin Wali abduction adds to the growing list of mass kidnappings in Kaduna State and across north-western Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target villages, highways, schools, and places of worship.
Security analysts warn that attacks during religious gatherings represent a disturbing trend, aimed at maximizing casualties and spreading fear among already vulnerable populations.
As search and rescue operations continue, families of the abducted victims are appealing to the government and security agencies to act swiftly to secure the release of their loved ones.
For now, Kurmin Wali remains a community in mourning—its churches silent, its homes shaken, and its people anxiously awaiting news from the forests where their relatives are being held.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JANUARY 21ST 2026)
