Armed gangs carried out a coordinated attack on two churches in Nigeria’s Kaduna State, kidnapping worshippers during Sunday services. The incident unfolded in Kurmin Wali, a forested settlement within Afogo ward, an area long troubled by armed criminal activity.
Local police confirmed that heavily armed attackers stormed the churches at approximately 11:25 a.m. local time on Sunday. Security officials said the gunmen carried sophisticated weapons and operated in large numbers to overwhelm worshippers and guards.
According to police accounts, the attackers strategically sealed off church entrances before forcing congregants outside into surrounding bushland. The gunmen reportedly moved with speed and coordination, suggesting prior planning and familiarity with the terrain and community layout.
Senior church officials later disclosed that the scale of the abductions was far larger than initially feared. More than 160 worshippers were taken, making the incident one of the most significant church kidnappings recorded recently in northern Nigeria.
Reverend Joseph Hayab, a leading Christian figure in northern Nigeria, provided details after speaking with church elders. He stated that 172 worshippers were abducted, while nine individuals managed to escape amid the chaos.
Hayab explained that the attackers came in overwhelming numbers, leaving worshippers powerless to resist or flee effectively. He added that victims included men, women, and young people who had gathered peacefully for prayer and fellowship.
The Kaduna abductions represent the latest episode in Nigeria’s worsening mass kidnapping crisis. Criminal gangs, commonly referred to locally as bandits, increasingly target civilians to extract ransom payments from families and communities.
Such gangs operate across northern and central Nigeria, exploiting weak security coverage and vast rural terrain. They frequently raid villages, schools, highways, and religious institutions, regardless of victims’ faith or social status.
In November, Nigeria witnessed another major kidnapping involving a Catholic school in the region. More than 300 students and teachers were abducted, drawing intense international scrutiny and condemnation.
Those school victims were eventually released in two groups after negotiations and sustained pressure. However, the repeated incidents have reinforced perceptions that kidnappers operate with relative impunity.
Nigeria currently faces multiple, overlapping security crises that stretch state capacity to dangerous limits. These include Islamist insurgency in the northeast, criminal banditry nationwide, and separatist violence in the southeast.
In central regions, deadly conflicts persist between herders and farmers over shrinking land and water resources. Analysts say these crises feed into one another, creating persistent instability and widespread civilian vulnerability.
Security experts frequently cite corruption as a major obstacle to effective counter-kidnapping operations. They also point to poor intelligence coordination and chronic underfunding of local police forces.
Many rural communities rely on informal vigilante groups due to limited government security presence. This arrangement often proves ineffective against heavily armed gangs equipped with military-grade weapons.
Public frustration intensified last month when Nigeria’s defence minister resigned during the peak of the kidnapping crisis. The presidency cited health reasons, though the timing fueled speculation about accountability failures within the security establishment.
International concern has grown alongside Nigeria’s escalating violence, particularly attacks affecting religious communities. The United States recently escalated its involvement by conducting airstrikes against militant camps in northwestern Nigeria.
Those strikes occurred on Christmas Day and targeted camps linked to Islamist extremist groups. Washington described the action as necessary to deter further attacks against civilians and religious minorities.
Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a warning regarding continued violence against Christians in Nigeria. He threatened additional military action if killings and abductions persisted unchecked.
Nigeria’s government responded cautiously to Trump’s remarks, emphasizing sovereignty and cooperative engagement. Officials insisted that Nigeria remains committed to protecting all citizens regardless of religious affiliation.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Alkasim Abdulkadir stated that both Christians and Muslims have suffered under ongoing violence. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s intention to work constructively with international partners, including the United States.
Nigeria’s religious landscape remains deeply diverse, with more than 250 ethnic groups across the country. The north remains predominantly Muslim, the south largely Christian, with significant intermingling across central regions.
Authorities maintain that criminal gangs target opportunity rather than religious identity. However, repeated church and mosque attacks continue to inflame sectarian fears and public anxiety.
The Kaduna church kidnappings have renewed urgent calls for decisive security reforms nationwide. Civil society groups demand better intelligence sharing, increased funding, and stronger accountability across security agencies.
Families of abducted worshippers now face agonizing uncertainty as negotiations and rescue efforts begin. Their ordeal underscores Nigeria’s deepening security emergency and the high human cost of continued inaction.
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