US EditionGunmen abduct over 150 worshippers from 3 churches in Nigeria
Authorities dispute reports of over 160 worshippers abducted from three Kaduna churches, calling claims false and urging calm amid ongoing security efforts.
- On Jan 19, armed bandits abducted more than 150 worshippers in Kurmin Wali during simultaneous attacks on Evangelical Church Winning All, Cherubim and Seraphim, and a Catholic church.
- Gangs known locally as 'bandits' frequently carry out mass kidnappings in the north, fitting a pattern of armed gangs targeting remote communities with limited security for ransom payments.
- Witnesses said attackers burst into churches armed with "sophisticated weapons" at 11:25 a.m. local time, blocking entrances and forcing worshippers into the bush, while troops and security agencies were deployed to track abductors.
- As of yesterday, 177 people were missing and 11 returned, leaving 168 still missing, while Police in Kaduna state and the Kaduna State Government have not issued formal statements.
- The Nigerian government rejected characterising the violence as a 'Christian genocide,' and no group has claimed responsibility, drawing international attention amid recent U.S. strikes.
136 Articles
136 Articles
Kaduna Church Attack: Speaker Abbas urges security agencies to rescue abducted worshippers, arrest kidnappers
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has charged security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue worshippers abducted by suspected terrorists in Kaduna State and ensure the perpetrators are apprehended.
Fulani abduct 166 Nigerian Christians. Gov't denies facts.
Nigeria’s Official Strategy of Denial of Another Church Attack TruthNigeria January 21, 2026 By Mary Kiara Cherubim and Saraphim Church was vandalized during the attack. Photo by Mike Odeh James. Officials dismissed eyewitness accounts and delayed confirmation as Christian worshippers were marched into captivity. (Kaduna) – When armed Fulani militants stormed three churches in Kurmin Wali, southern Kaduna State, during Sunday worship on Januar…
Nigeria Rejects Allegations of 100+ Christian Kidnappings Across Three Churches
Armed groups believed to be Fulani militias attacked three Christian worship services in Nigeria’s Kaduna state on Sunday, an incident local Christian leaders say may represent one of the largest mass kidnappings of believers in the region, though state authorities have denied that any abductions occurred.
Nigeria is under pressure from the U.S. to contain violence against Christians. Trump's latest incident delivers new ammunition to the Trump administration – if it has actually happened.
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