US EditionNigerian troops free 62 hostages, kill two militants in northwest operations
Nigerian Army freed 62 abducted civilians from bandit hideouts and killed two militants in separate operations amid rising regional violence, officials said.
- On Sunday, January 18, worshippers were abducted during services at three churches in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, a raid confirmed by the Nigeria Police Force.
- Gangs known as 'bandits' have repeatedly targeted villages across the north, looting motorcycles, phones and valuables while demanding the return of 10 missing bikes, revealing theft and ransom motives.
- Kaduna figures show differing totals of the missing and abducted, with Usman Danlami Stingo reporting 168 missing and the Christian Association of Nigeria citing 172 abducted, nine of whom escaped leaving 163 missing.
- Kaduna State Police Commissioner Muhammad Rabiu initially denied the attack, saying `Our men have found no evidence of attacks or mass kidnappings in the Kajuru area`, but the Inspector‑General of Police Kayode Egbetokun then ordered tactical deployments and search‑and‑rescue operations.
- Following a late‑year abduction of hundreds of Catholic schoolchildren, Nigeria's federal authorities face growing international scrutiny and United States criticism over handling mass kidnappings.
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Nigerian troops free 62 hostages, kill 2 militants in northwest
Northern Nigeria has been the hardest-hit part of the country, with a surge in kidnappings for ransom by gunmen across the northwest and north-central regions over the recent months, alongside an insurgency in the northeast.
More than 170 Christian faithful were kidnapped this weekend in three isolated churches in the Kaduna region of northwestern Nigeria. Nigerian police confirmed this evening on Tuesday, January 21, that an "incident" had taken place, after a day of denial by the authorities. This new mass abduction, targeting Christians, is rekindling tensions in Nigeria, while US President Donald Trump has denounced in recent months what he calls a "murrage" of …
For days, Nigeria's authorities have called the reports of mass abduction untrue, and now they admit that more than 160 believers have been abducted from churches.
The Nigerian military released 62 hostages in a strike against armed groups in the north-west of the country.
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