…CAN, ACF, Others Demand Accountability and Swift Rescue
By Abu Adamu
After days of denial and mounting public outrage, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, yesterday pledged that all 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area would be rescued and returned home safely, following confirmation by the Inspector-General of Police that the incident indeed occurred.
The initial denial of the mass abduction by the Kaduna State Government and the Police had drawn sharp reactions from religious bodies, socio-cultural organisations and community groups, who accused authorities of attempting to suppress the truth and demanded urgent action to rescue the victims.
Bandits had reportedly stormed three churches in Kurmin Wali community and abducted no fewer than 177 worshippers. However, the Kaduna State Police Command, the state government and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area had initially dismissed the reports, describing them as false.
The denial provoked strong reactions from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Adara Development Association (ADA), local community groups and the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), one of the churches affected.
Tensions heightened after the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed that the abduction took place, contradicting earlier statements by the Kaduna State Police Commissioner and the state government.
Reacting, the Arewa Consultative Forum expressed deep sadness over the abduction and faulted the authorities’ initial handling of the incident. National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, said the denial was disappointing and poorly managed, especially at a time Nigeria’s security situation was under intense national and international scrutiny.
He said the initial response exposed weaknesses in crisis communication, warning that denial tactics only worsened public mistrust and insecurity. Baba stressed the need for better coordination between political authorities and security agencies, insisting that decisive, transparent and proactive action was required to address insecurity.
Similarly, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, faulted the initial public communication by the state government and the Police, warning that dismissing reports of the abduction before thorough verification deepened fear and weakened public trust.
He said the denial unfairly questioned the credibility of victims, their families, clergy and eyewitnesses, noting that while preventing panic was important, it must not be done in a manner that suggested indifference to human lives. Archbishop Okoh welcomed the subsequent confirmation by the Police and deployment of security assets but urged a more empathetic and people-centred approach to crisis communication, while demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted worshippers.
Amid the backlash, Governor Sani visited Kurmin Wali community yesterday, assuring residents that the state government was working closely with security agencies to secure the release of the victims.
“In Kaduna State, every life matters. We are here to assure the people of Kurmin Wali that the government is collaborating with all security agencies to ensure that those abducted return home safely,” he said.
The Governor said some residents sustained injuries during the attack and that the state government would bear the cost of their medical treatment. He explained that security agencies initially took time to verify details of the incident but stressed that attention was now firmly focused on rescuing the abductees.
Sani said the state was working with the military, the Department of State Services, the Police and the Office of the National Security Adviser to secure the victims’ release, dismissing debates over the number of abducted persons.
“We are not talking about numbers or politics. We are talking about the sanctity of human life. Whether one person or many, the responsibility of government remains the same,” he said, cautioning against politicising insecurity.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force said it was still collating the names of the abducted worshippers. Force spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident and said helicopters and other operational resources had been deployed to the area for surveillance and rescue operations.
“We can confirm that the incident happened and we have deployed all our resources there. The moment we have further information, we will update Nigerians,” he said.