177 kidnapped in assault on churches in Nigeria 

Three churches in Kaduna state, Nigeria, have been attacked and 177 worshippers kidnapped on Sunday 18 January. As the community reels from this latest assault, please pray for our brothers and sisters.

The latest attack in Nigeria has seen a merciless assault by armed extremists on three churches in the Kurmin Wali community of Kaduna State, a region which holds a Christian majority. On Sunday 18 January at around 9am, armed men invaded three churches and forcibly removed 177 inhabitants during their services. 

Yunana Adauji, a secretary of the church network attacked and who managed to escape his captors, reports, “The incident took place around 9:30am while we were having Sunday morning worship. The terrorists came in their numbers with guns and gathered worshippers together in one place. They threatened to shoot anyone who tried to escape.

“The victims kidnapped were forced into the bush, including children, women and men, as well as sick people who were at home recuperating after surgery. We don’t know the condition of our people who were kidnapped. We need your prayers and help to see an end to these attacks.”

Initially, the local government and police denied that the event had taken place – a BBC article on the attack cites police commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu describing the news as ‘mere falsehood’. However, the local community documented the names of those who had been taken by extremists and shared them with a local journalist. 

Since the kidnapping, elderly women and young children have been released, whilst some were able to escape their captors. Over 160 remain, and locals believe that they have been abducted for ransom. 

One escapee is a believer named Maigirma Shekarau, who has family still in captivity. “After the terrorists took us from the church, we trekked for a long distance without food and water and those who couldn’t walk fast were flogged and brutalised by the terrorists. I have bad injuries on my head and others too are injured.”

He was able to escape with his baby by hiding in an abandoned house. When the area was clear, he fled to a nearby village.

A community traumatised 

Sadly, this is not the first attack on the Kurmin Wali community. On 11 January, 21 people were kidnapped, only being freed after paying about seven million naira – around £3,660. 

Since this most recent attack, many villagers in Kurmin Wali have resorted to sleeping in the bush for safety, fearing attacks by night. Some are traumatised, unable to eat because of anxiety about their family members who were taken. One woman asks, “We always sleep in the bush any time the attacks on our community start. Right now, my baby is sick because of the cold and mosquitoes. Please pray for us.”

Repeated assaults and growing insecurity have forced many to flee, increasing the number of those displaced because of persecution in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa. Only recently were the remaining children and teachers kidnapped from St Mary’s School in Niger State returned to their families. 

• Update: children and teachers kidnapped from school released 

An urgent call 

“The insecurity northern Nigerians face should be addressed with urgency and transparency. It is shocking that yet another mass abduction has taken place despite the government’s assurance of protection,” said Jo Newhouse*, spokesperson for Open Doors’ work in sub-Saharan Africa. “Christian communities in southern Kaduna State already face heightened vulnerability as a result of state neglect. Their circumstances are now exacerbated through repeated targeting. While it is not always clear who the perpetrators are or what their exact motives are, the result is the Christians’ impoverishment, fear and upliftment. Ultimately, these hamper the church’s ability to fulfil the great commission. 

“We call on the Kaduna government to do everything in its power to rescue these 177 people and to bring perpetrators to book.” 

*Name changed for security reasons