Gunmen carried out coordinated attacks on three churches in the Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria, on January 18, 2026, abducting more than 150 worshippers during Sunday services. The assailants, suspected to be bandits, stormed the churches in broad daylight, opening fire to create panic before rounding up the victims and fleeing into the surrounding bushes.
Kaduna State Police confirmed the incident, stating that over 100 individuals, including women and children, were taken hostage. The attacks occurred at ECWA churches in the Tiv-dominated area, with gunmen arriving on motorcycles and vehicles, shooting indiscriminately to scatter the congregation.
Local sources reported that the bandits targeted the worshippers specifically, abducting them for potential ransom or as part of ongoing ethnic tensions in the region.
This event marks one of the largest mass abductions in recent Kaduna history, exacerbating the state’s ongoing security crisis. Kajuru LGA has been a hotspot for banditry, with frequent raids on villages and highways leading to dozens of deaths and kidnappings annually. Security forces, including the police and military, have launched a joint operation to track the gunmen and rescue the victims, but challenges like the dense forest terrain have slowed progress.
The abductions come amid heightened insecurity in North-Central Nigeria, where bandit groups have increasingly targeted religious sites and communities.
Local leaders and residents have called for immediate government intervention, criticizing the lack of adequate protection for vulnerable areas. The incident has drawn condemnation from national figures, with demands for swift action to prevent further attacks.
This event marks one of the largest mass abductions in recent Kaduna history, exacerbating the state’s ongoing security crisis, similar to the bandit attack in Idofin community. Local leaders have called for intervention, echoing Tinubu’s recent security directive on forest operations after Niger attacks.”
As search and rescue efforts continue, the fate of the abducted worshippers remains uncertain, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced security measures in Kaduna and similar regions.