Security Leader Evaluates Scene Amid Rising Community Anxiety

Muhammad Rabiu, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, recently visited a church in the remote village of Kurmin Wali within Kajuru Local Government Area after a brutal terrorist raid that led to the abduction of numerous worshippers. This violent episode has left the local population engulfed in grief and heightened fear.

Witnesses noted that during the Commissioner’s inspection, which was accompanied by a heavily armed security detail, strict instructions were issued to power down all mobile devices. Additionally, attendees were barred from taking photographs or recording videos during the visit, a directive that has stirred controversy among residents.

Detailed On-Site Review and Engagement with Survivors

Commissioner Rabiu conducted a thorough walkthrough of the church and surrounding areas affected by the attack. Footage from the scene shows him flanked by armed officers as he surveys the premises and interacts with survivors. One survivor, wearing a yellow shirt and bearing visible head injuries, shared his narrow escape while the abductors were moving captives into the forest.

Speaking in Hausa, the Commissioner questioned the injured man about how he managed to flee and the sequence of events during the assault. The survivor recounted that the attack erupted suddenly during a worship session, forcing him to flee while carrying his young daughter to safety.

Survivor’s Account of a Desperate Flight Amid Terror

The survivor explained that he was attending a nearby ECWA church when the terrorists launched their assault. Upon hearing screams, he saw armed bandits blocking the entrance to his church. Despite threats from the attackers, he managed to evade capture by slipping into a nearby house and locking himself inside unnoticed.

He described, “When they gathered the captives, including worshippers and others abducted earlier, they forced us to march into the bush. At one point, they brutally beat us without asking any questions before ordering us to continue moving.” His testimony underscores the indiscriminate violence inflicted on victims from multiple communities.

Local Outrage and Security Concerns Amidst Ongoing Threats

Residents of Kurmin Wali voiced frustration over the persistent failure of security agencies to protect rural communities in Southern Kaduna, which has been repeatedly targeted by armed groups. Many criticized the police commissioner’s order to disable phones during his visit, interpreting it as an attempt to suppress evidence of the victims’ plight and the attack’s aftermath.

Meanwhile, families remain anguished as dozens of worshippers are still held captive, with no official updates on rescue efforts or negotiations.

Verification of Kidnappings by Community Leaders and Activists

The Kurmin Wali attack is part of a troubling pattern of assaults on churches and rural settlements in Kaduna State, raising serious concerns about escalating insecurity. Activists who visited the affected sites confirmed that at least 11 individuals escaped during the raid, contradicting official government denials of any abductions.

A local village chief supported these claims, describing how many escapees bore severe injuries from beatings before fleeing. He stressed that the community can only confirm those physically accounted for, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of many abducted persons.

One survivor even displayed scars and bruises to activists, providing concrete proof of the attackers’ brutality.

Context and Official Statements on the Incident

On Sunday, coordinated attacks by armed bandits targeted multiple churches in Kurmin Wali, resulting in the kidnapping of over 100 worshippers during services. Rev. John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern States, confirmed that 172 individuals were initially abducted, with some having escaped, leaving approximately 163 still in captivity.

Contrarily, the Kaduna State government disputed these figures, denying that any Christian worshippers were taken during the assaults on the three churches in Kajuru Local Government Area.