Nigeria police confirm mass abduction from church after initial denial
The police said their revised position followed “subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources.”
Nigeria’s police have confirmed that a mass abduction of worshippers occurred in north-central Kaduna State, reversing an earlier denial that had drawn public criticism.
In a statement issued late Tuesday by police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, the force admitted that the attack “did occur” and that many people were kidnapped, a day after dismissing reports of abductions from churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area.
Local media had reported that terrorists, loosely referred to as “bandits,” invaded the area on Sunday, 18 January, abducting more than 160 worshippers during church services.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told Premium Times newspaper that 172 people were initially taken, nine later escaped, and the remaining victims were marched into a nearby forest.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) said in a Tuesday statement that the attackers struck while services were ongoing.
The statement, signed by spokesperson Reuben Buhari, listed the affected churches as the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Albarka Cherubim and Seraphim 1, and Haske Cherubim and Seraphim 2.
Initial denial
Despite these accounts, both the Kaduna State government and the police had earlier challenged CAN to provide evidence that any abduction took place.
Speaking to reporters on Monday after a security meeting with state authorities, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, described the incident as a “falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna State.”
The chairperson of Kajuru Local Government, Dauda Madaki, also denied the attack, citing information from local authorities.
In Tuesday’s statement, the police said their revised position followed “subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources.” Hundeyin said comments made earlier by the police commissioner were misunderstood.
“Comments made by the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, during a media interaction were intended to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed.
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,” the statement said.
The police added that efforts were underway to “safely” rescue the victims and restore normalcy to the area.
The statement also said the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and intelligence assets to the area.