The Kajuru Abduction and Crisis of Trust

John Shiklam writes on the recent abduction of Christian worshippers in Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state and the crisis of confidence that trailed the attack.

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state last Thursday received Christian worshippers abducted by bandits from Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area on January 18, 2026.

The bandits invaded the community during Sunday worship, attacked three persons, and abducted 183 worshippers, mostly women and children.

Eleven victims escaped while being taken into the bush. Another set of 83 victims later escaped from captivity. In the early hours of Thursday, February 5, 2026, the remaining 89 victims were rescued, bringing days of fear, anxiety, and anguish for families to an end.

The attack generated widespread public outrage and condemnation, sparking a heated exchange between citizens and government officials over the handling of the incident.

Speaking while receiving the victims at the Government House, Kaduna, Governor Sani said he was shocked by the incident, noting that it occurred despite sustained efforts by his administration to improve security across the state.

He said he was shocked “because in the last two and a half years, the Kaduna State Government had worked tirelessly with security agencies to protect lives and property.”

The governor lamented what he described as attempts to politicise the incident, saying certain narratives were deliberately amplified to undermine his administration. He described the return of the abducted worshippers as a testament to resilience and collective effort.

Sani said, “Kaduna State belongs to all of us, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Attacks on places of worship will not be tolerated”.

He assured the victims of medical, psychological, and material support, pledging government assistance to aid their recovery and reintegration. According to him, security has remained a priority since he assumed office, with measurable progress recorded across the state.

“In the last two years, we have drastically reduced banditry and violent attacks across Kaduna State. Many communities that were once under siege now enjoy relative peace,” he said.

Sani attributed the gains to improved intelligence coordination and sustained engagement with security agencies and community based interventions.

However, the Kurmin Wali incident drew criticism over the initial response of security agencies and government officials, particularly the denial of the abduction and the description of reports as false.

Members of the community raised the alarm immediately after the attack, contacting religious leaders, journalists, and civil society organisations. Anxiety spread as families counted their missing relatives and feared the worst.

Within hours, factional chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev Joseph Hayab, confirmed the abduction, citing direct communication with church leaders and affected families.

Yet, at a news conference on Monday, January 19, at the Government House, Kaduna, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu; Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, dismissed reports of the attack as false and warned against spreading such information.

The police commissioner described the reports as “mere falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna state”, and challenged anyone to provide the names of the victims.

He warned rumour mongers to desist from attempting to derail what he described as prevailing peace in the state, threatening that the full wrath of the law would be visited on “such merchants of falsehood.”

In the same vein, Madaki claimed he mobilised security personnel to the community after hearing reports of the attack but found no evidence.

He said, “We visited the church where the so-called kidnap took place. There was no evidence of the attack. I asked the village head, and he said that there was no such attack.

‘’I also called the youth leader of the area, Bernard Bona, who was interviewed by the press men that accompanied me, and he said that no such thing happened.

‘’So, I challenge anyone to name the people that were kidnapped, and I have been waiting for this list, and no one has come forward with a name.

‘’I believe that the rumour of the kidnap is being sponsored by people who are not happy with the relative peace that Kajuru has been enjoying since the coming of this administration,’’ he said.

Similarly, Shuaibu claimed that “the state CAN chairman and other religious leaders interacted with people in the area where the so-called kidnap occurred. They found out that what was pushed out to the public sphere was completely false”.

The denials threw citizens into confusion and raised questions about the true situation on the ground.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria also issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as official denial of a verified security incident. The organisation said its field contacts and community sources confirmed the abduction of over 170 worshippers, accusing the police of attempting to cover up the crime.

“Denial in the face of this reality undermines rescue efforts and deepens the trauma of affected families”, CSW Nigeria said in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Reuben Buhari.

The group further alleged that security agencies restricted access to the community, preventing journalists and civil society actors from independently verifying the situation. Several journalists corroborated the claims, reporting that they were turned back at checkpoints, advised to leave for safety reasons, or told they lacked clearance.

As public pressure mounted, the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja intervened, issuing a statement that confirmed the abduction.

The Force Headquarters acknowledged that 172 persons had been abducted from Kurmin Wali and disclosed that security agencies were working with other stakeholders to secure their release.

The confirmation contradicted earlier denials by state officials and marked a turning point in the narrative. It validated reports by the community, CAN, and civil society groups while raising questions about crisis management and communication at the state level.

For days, the incident dominated public discourse, with citizens questioning the credibility of official assurances and the consistency of information from different arms of government. The episode exposed gaps in crisis communication and renewed concerns about the fragility of security gains in Kaduna State.

Reacting, the Adara Development Association demanded a public apology from the police commissioner and the Kajuru council chairman. In a statement, its president, Sabestine Barde, accused them of presenting “a misleading and painful narrative that no abduction took place.”

He said verified reports were dismissed as rumours allegedly spread by so-called conflict entrepreneurs, describing the conduct of the officials as unfortunate.

Barde expressed regret that the council chairman, an indigene of the affected community, aligned himself with what he described as an attempt to suppress the truth.

“Their actions reflected those of overzealous officials who should be firmly reprimanded and called to order. Consequently, the ADA is demanding that the Commissioner of Police and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government issue a public apology to the Adara people for deliberately suppressing the truth”, Barde said.

During the reception for the freed victims at the Government House, Kaduna, journalists also faced restrictions. Security operatives initially barred newspaper reporters from accessing the venue, despite an open invitation to reporters covering the Government House.

Only television reporters and camera operators were allowed entry, while print journalists were stopped, with security operatives claiming they were acting on orders.

It took the intervention of a senior television reporter for access to be granted. Journalists were also prevented from using mobile phones to take photographs.

This was not the first of such incidents. In 2023, a journalist was manhandled by Government House security operatives during a similar reception for freed school children.

Security analysts say the Kurmin Wali incident shows that while Kaduna State has recorded relative peace compared to previous years, the gains remain fragile and uneven.

“The Kurmin Wali incident shows that bandit networks are still active and capable of exploiting gaps,” one analyst said.

According to him, “Sustaining peace requires transparency, consistency and rapid response”.

For residents of Kurmin Wali, the ordeal has reinforced calls for permanent security deployment, improved intelligence gathering, and effective early warning systems.

Governor Sani disclosed during the reception that he had approached President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for the establishment of a security outfit around the area, adding that the request was receiving positive response.

As Kaduna continues to confront renewed bandit activity, the abduction and eventual release of the Kurmin Wali worshippers stands as a defining episode. It underscores the tension between political narratives, public perception, and the lived realities of vulnerable communities.

Whether the lessons from the incident will lead to improved crisis response and stronger trust between government and citizens remains uncertain. What is clear is that the voices from Kurmin Wali have added a significant chapter to Kaduna State’s evolving security story.b