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The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the abduction of 160 church worshippers in Kurmin Wali, a remote community in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, after security agencies completed verification of earlier reports.
Reports emerged on Sunday that gunmen attacked two churches in Kurmin Wali during worship services and abducted more than 160 people. The figure was provided by church sources but has not been independently verified by the police.
Reverend Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in northern Nigeria, said the attackers entered the churches during Sunday services, blocked exits, and forced worshippers into nearby bush areas.
Earlier on Monday, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, described reports of abductions from churches in Kajuru as “mere falsehoods which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos.”
Later that day, the Nigerian Police Force issued a statement acknowledging concerns about the reported incident and explaining that conflicting accounts had delayed confirmation.
“The Nigeria Police Force acknowledges the deep concern generated by reports of an abduction incident at Kurmin Wali, a remote community in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” the force spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said in a statement.
“The Force understands the fear and anxiety such reports cause to families, residents, and the general public, and treats the safety of every citizen as a matter of utmost priority.”
Hundeyin said some individuals from the affected local government area disputed the abduction report during a meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council convened by the governor.
“During the meeting at the Government House, Kaduna, some individuals from the affected local government area disputed the report, which had earlier been confirmed by the police, and described it as false,” Hundeyin said.
“This created uncertainty and reinforced the need for caution and thorough verification by the police and other security agencies before making conclusive public statements on such a sensitive matter.”
Addressing the earlier comments by the state police commissioner, Hundeyin said, “Those remarks, which have since been widely misinterpreted, were not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected.”
“Subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur.
“The Nigeria Police Force therefore activated coordinated security operations, working closely with other security agencies, with a clear focus on locating and safely rescuing the victims and restoring calm to the area.”
Following the confirmation, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered “the full deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities,” according to Hundeyin.
Hundeyin noted that the measures include “deployment of tactical units as well as intensified patrols already in place, targeted search-and-rescue operations, and proactive measures to protect lives and property.”
According to him, operations are ongoing, and he urged the public and the media to rely on official updates, warning against “speculation or sensational reporting that could jeopardise ongoing operations or heighten public anxiety.”
