Trending 
Survivors of the Kurmin Wali church abduction in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday, recounted weeks of hunger, fear and abuse in captivity as the Governor, Uba Sani, formally received the 183 rescued victims.
The victims, mostly women and children, were freed following a coordinated operation involving the Kaduna State Government, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services after spending weeks in the forest.
At the Government House in Kaduna, emotions ran high as several of the survivors described being forced to trek for six days through dense forest immediately after the 18 January 2026 attack.
One of the victims, who requested anonymity, said the abductees were marched deep into the forest and kept near a riverbank, where they were fed pap made from maize.
According to the survivor, food was scarce, drinking water was unsafe, and many were unable to bathe for nearly two weeks. The victim added that the captors frequently flogged both adults and children, especially when children cried from hunger or fear.
Another survivor said the group lived in constant terror, explaining that whenever a child cried, everyone feared violent punishment from the gunmen.
“They flogged us, including our children, especially whenever the children cried. Sometimes the children cried out of hunger and fear,” the victim said.
“We were always afraid. Once a child started crying, everyone became scared because we knew what would follow,” one of them narrated.
Some of the victims broke down in tears during the reception, saying they had lost hope of survival while in captivity.
One of them expressed gratitude to the governor, describing his intervention as a source of hope at a time when they believed they would not survive.
Governor Sani described the occasion as a day of joy and confirmed that all 183 abducted persons had now regained freedom. He said 11 victims were released earlier and taken to the hospital; 83 returned days ago, and the remaining 89 were rescued on Thursday, bringing the total to 183.
The governor stated that the state government refused to politicise the incident or engage in disputes over figures, stressing that its priority was ensuring the safe return of every victim.
He thanked Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu for their support, and also commended the DSS, Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force for their roles in the rescue operation.
Sani announced plans to strengthen security in the area, including establishing a military base along the Kajuru-Kachia axis and constructing an access road, a hospital, and a skills acquisition centre in Kurmin Wali.
He added that the rescued victims were receiving medical treatment, trauma counselling and relief materials, adding that the state government would continue to support their rehabilitation.
