THE Nigeria Police Force has finally confirmed that armed bandits abducted scores of villagers in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following widespread outrage over initial official denials of the incident.
In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria late Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi (via the office of national police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin), acknowledged that an abduction occurred on Sunday, saying security operations had since been launched to rescue the victims and restore calm to the affected area.
“The Nigeria Police Force confirms that an abduction incident occurred on Sunday. Security operations have been intensified with a clear focus on locating and safely rescuing the victims and restoring calm,” the statement said.
Hundeyin explained that earlier denials by police and government officials were meant to avoid panic while facts were being verified, a justification that has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups and religious leaders.
While the police did not officially disclose the number of abducted persons, multiple independent accounts suggest the scale of the attack is one of the largest in recent months.
A Kaduna State lawmaker, Usman Danlami Stingo, told the Associated Press that 168 people were missing. Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the North said at least 172 worshippers were kidnapped, with nine later escaping, leaving 163 still unaccounted for.
According to eyewitness accounts and a police situation report obtained by Vanguard, the attack occurred at about 11:25am on Sunday while worshippers were gathered at ECWA Church and Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2 in Kurmin Wali.
The report stated that armed bandits, wielding sophisticated weapons, stormed the area, firing sporadically and forcing worshippers to flee into surrounding forests before abducting large numbers of residents.
“Concerted efforts in collaboration with sister security agencies and the military have been intensified to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators,” the police report said, noting that poor road access delayed immediate response.
By Monday, the village was largely deserted, with survivors fleeing to neighbouring communities. Some sustained injuries during their escape, while others remained unreachable due to poor network coverage and lost mobile phones.
Despite earlier government challenges to release names of abducted persons, 177 victims have now been identified. Analysis of the list reveals that entire families were taken.
Among the worst-hit households:
Jonathan family – 12 members
Amos family – 13 members
Markus/Makudi family – 10 members
Ishaya and Danisa families – 7 members each
Bawa family – 6 members
Danjuma and Musa families – 5 members each
The oldest victim is 71-year-old Augustina Matthew, while the youngest, Salvation Idris, is just six years old. Several other children aged between six and ten were also abducted.
Residents say the bandits later issued demands, insisting that villagers return 10 motorcycles allegedly hidden in nearby bushes as a condition for releasing the captives. Community members say they have no knowledge of the motorcycles and are already impoverished.
Just a week earlier, Kurmin Wali reportedly paid N2.6 million ransom to secure the release of 20 abducted residents, further worsening economic hardship.
Rights Groups Accuse Security Forces of Obstruction
Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW-N) accused security agents of obstructing independent verification of the attack.
CSW-N said its team was denied access to the village shortly after the incident, despite proper identification.
“There was a standing order not to allow us in,” CSW-N said, adding that attackers arrived on motorcycles and on foot, splitting into three groups to simultaneously target the churches.
The organisation claimed elderly women and young children were initially released, while 167 victims remained in captivity at the time of its engagement with community sources.
CAN’s Northern Chairman, Rev. Dr. Joseph Hayab, accused security agencies of failing to pursue the attackers immediately.
“Instead of chasing the bandits, officials argued over whether anyone had been kidnapped. That delay helped the criminals escape with the victims,” Hayab said.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi also condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable” and a reflection of unchecked insecurity.
“Can we continue waking up to disputed figures and official denials while citizens live in fear?” Obi asked.
In the United States, Congressman Riley Moore described the abduction as “horrific” and urged Nigerian authorities to ensure the victims’ safe return.
Another Kidnap in Kujama Raises Alarm
Hours before the Kurmin Wali attack, bandits struck Kujama community, abducting a nursing mother, another woman, and a young boy. The attackers reportedly abandoned the nursing mother’s infant while inflicting machete injuries on the husbands who resisted.
The kidnappers are demanding N150 million ransom, threatening to kill the captives if the matter is reported to security agencies.
Police authorities in Kaduna said investigations into both incidents were ongoing.
Below are the names of the kidnap victims:
41. Zahaya Joshua
42. Nabilah Makudi
43. Hajara Makudi
44. Rebecca Hosea
45. Ahmad Ahmad
46. Liyu Ezekiel
47. Vivian Ezekiel
48. Goodluck Ezekiel
49. Beauty Ezekiel
50. Matina Maiyashi
51. Bridget Maiyashi
52. Vivian Linus
53. Mary Amos
54. Hamid Amos
55. Patricia Amos
56. Hamisu Amos
57. Luka Amos
58. Tacy Amos
59. Cynthia Amos (guessed)
60. Mercy Isaac
61. Augustine Makudi
62. Matthew Samaila
63. Adam Musa
64. Malika Sule
65. Abu Ahmad
66. Hussein Lucky (guessed)
67. Akinyi Sadiu
68. Dangata Amos
69. Helen Jonathan
70. Asinwa Jonathan
71. Faith Joseph
72. Gloria Kennet
73. Happiness Danisa
74. Fidelis Jacob
75. Tobias Markus
76. Istu Paul
77. Hassana Paul
78. Charity Chindo
79. Christiana Danisa
80. Everest Danima
81. Thomas Philip
82. Catrina Danbosi
83. Halima Hassan
84. Hassan Lukumi
85. Mary Sadiu
86. Franca John
87. Henry Danbiyi
88. Genesis Lawal
89. Ayuba Lawal
90. Solomon Ayuba
91. Theophilus Danlami (guessed)
92. Charles Sambo
93. Rahila Charles
94. Gambo Danisa
95. Talent Danisa
96. Nehemiah Danjuma
97. Maijima Shekarau
98. Matina Maijima
99. Laraba Maijima
100. Musa Danjuma
101. Ishaya Danima
102. Lulu Danisa
103. Clement Ahmad
104. Destiny Ahmad
105. Nehemiah Ishaya
106. Simon Ishaya
107. Nasty Muku
108. Helena Joseph
109. Joseph Bawa
110. Sarah Joseph
111. Bulus Mariya
112. Musa Samaila
113. Bulus Bawa
114. Halima Bawa
115. Beture Hosea
116. Sati Hosea
117. Titus John
118. Dogara Bawa
119. Lories Bawa
120. Adamu Aminu
121. Ezekiel Adamu
122. Tenah Markus
124. Patricio Bawa
125. Janet Tsuda
126. Amina Danjuma
127. Sandra Danbosi
128. Bridget Sunday
129. Saphat Innocent (guessed)
130. Alex Sunday
131. Beauty Peter
132. Samisa Paul
133. Joy Joseph
134. Methole Johanna
135. Genesis Johanna
136. Maria Johanna
137. Merozdu Adonu
138. Karimi Jangbe
139. Sunday Martela
140. Santina Hershinga
141. Keuna Michael
142. Hassan Bulus
143. Marzeta Maisoni
144. Mainwa Dominic
145. Godwin Karimi
146. Amos Akijo
147. Nathan Amos
148. Joseph Chindo
149. Lydia Godwin
150. Hamna Maiyangi
151. Toletu Maiyangi
152. Esther Godday
154. Godlive Samson
155. Goodluck Aliga
156. Madaki Tabawa
157. Tabawa Abba
158. Tabawa Iyamye
159. Samuel Amos
160. Daniel Amos
161. Deborah Amos
162. Ruth Amos
163. Emmanuel Danjuma
164. Joshua Danjuma
165. Rejoice Danisa
166. Blessing Danisa
167. Ibrahim Lawal
168. Zainab Lawal
169. Sadiq Ahmad
170. Aisha Ahmad
171. Yakubu Musa
172. Suleiman Musa
173. Rahama Musa
174. Daniel Jonathan
175. Samuel Jonathan
176. Peter Jonathan
177. Grace Jonathan