By Peter Omopo
Eighty of the 177 worshippers abducted from three churches in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have escaped from their captors and reunited with their families.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, confirmed the development on Sunday, stating that 11 of the victims escaped shortly after the abduction on January 18, while another 80 managed to flee more recently.
According to Dan’azumi, the escapees initially sought refuge in neighbouring communities before safely returning home. He added that 86 worshippers are still being held by the bandits in a forest.
He expressed concern that some individuals were attempting to politicise the incident, even as families of the victims continue to grapple with trauma and uncertainty. The village head appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of those still in captivity, noting that Kurmin Wali and surrounding communities have lived under constant fear of bandit attacks and kidnappings.
Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said the command would issue a detailed statement on the incident in due course.
The abduction has been surrounded by conflicting reports. While the Kaduna State Police Command and the Kajuru Local Government Council initially downplayed claims of a mass abduction, community leaders and church officials maintained that worshippers were seized during church services.
The controversy deepened after families and church leaders compiled a list of 177 alleged abductees, following a public request by the Commissioner of Police for verifiable information. The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. John Hayab, had earlier said that more than 160 worshippers were taken.
Residents of the area said gunmen attacked Catholic, ECWA, and Cherubim and Seraphim churches, locked the gates, and forced worshippers into the bush.
