Nigeria is once again confronting the grim reality of mass abductions after armed gangs kidnapped dozens of worshippers during Sunday church services in Kaduna State. The incident, which took place in the forest community of Kurmin Wali in Afogo ward, underscores the worsening security situation in large parts of the country and the growing vulnerability of civilians gathering in places once considered safe.
According to local police, gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons stormed two churches at about 11:25 in the morning while services were underway. The attackers reportedly arrived in large numbers, blocked all exits, and forced worshippers out of the church buildings into the surrounding bush. While official police figures have not yet confirmed an exact number, senior church leaders say the scale of the abduction is significant.
The head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the north, Reverend Joseph Hayab, told local and international media that information from church elders indicated more than 160 people were taken. He later уточated that 172 worshippers were abducted, while nine managed to escape. For families and communities affected, the attack has deepened fear and uncertainty, particularly in rural areas where security presence is limited and response times are slow.
This latest incident fits a troubling pattern that has become increasingly common in northern and central Nigeria. Armed criminal groups, widely referred to as bandits, have turned mass kidnapping into a lucrative enterprise. Their primary motive is ransom, and they have shown little regard for religion, age, or gender. Churches, mosques, schools, and transport routes have all been targeted, reflecting a crisis that cuts across faith and community lines.
In November, the country was shaken by the abduction of more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school. Although they were later released in two groups, the incident drew international attention and highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s kidnapping epidemic. Sunday’s church attacks in Kaduna show that despite public outrage and official assurances, the threat remains acute.
Nigeria’s security challenges extend far beyond banditry. The country is simultaneously grappling with an Islamist insurgency in the north east, separatist violence in the south east, and recurring clashes between herders and farmers in central regions over access to land and water. These overlapping crises have stretched security forces thin and exposed weaknesses in coordination and intelligence gathering.
Analysts and security experts point to several factors undermining Nigeria’s response. Corruption, inadequate funding, poor intelligence sharing between agencies, and under resourced local policing have all limited the effectiveness of countermeasures. In many rural communities, residents rely on self defence groups or informal networks for protection, leaving them highly exposed to well armed criminal gangs.
The political pressure generated by the kidnapping crisis has already had consequences at the highest levels of government. Nigeria’s defence minister resigned last month at the height of public anger, officially citing health reasons. The move reflected growing frustration among citizens who feel that the state has struggled to protect lives and property.
International involvement has also intensified. The United States recently carried out airstrikes on Christmas Day against camps linked to an Islamist militant group in north western Nigeria. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump warned that further strikes could follow if attacks against Christians continued. The warning drew a diplomatic response from Abuja, with Nigeria’s foreign ministry stressing its commitment to protecting all citizens regardless of faith.
A spokesperson for the foreign ministry emphasised that Nigeria remains committed to engaging constructively with international partners while ensuring the safety of both Christians and Muslims without discrimination. The government has repeatedly stated that victims of violence come from all religious and ethnic backgrounds, a reality reflected in the diverse communities affected by kidnappings and attacks.
Nigeria is home to more than 250 ethnic groups and is broadly divided into a mainly Muslim north and a largely Christian south, with significant intermingling in central regions. This diversity, while a source of cultural richness, has also been exploited by criminal and extremist groups seeking to inflame tensions or profit from instability.
The Kaduna church kidnappings have once again exposed the human cost of Nigeria’s security crisis. Beyond the statistics are families left waiting for news, communities gripped by fear, and a nation struggling to restore confidence in its ability to protect its people. As negotiations, rescue efforts, and investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder that without sustained reform and effective security measures, mass abductions will remain a defining challenge for Africa’s most populous country.
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