₦airaland Forum

Kaduna Govt Denied Kidnapping Of Over 100 Worshippers To Avoid U.S. Scrutiny, Sources Reveal

The Kaduna State Government’s initial denial of the reported kidnapping of Christian worshippers in Kajuru Local Government Area was driven by concerns about attracting United States scrutiny and protecting the state’s fragile peace narrative, according to multiple security and government sources familiar with the matter.

Saharareporters had previously reported that in a daring attack on Sunday, a gang of bandits struck multiple churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, abducting over 100 worshippers during ongoing services.

The Chairman of 19 Northern States chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Hayab, subsequently confirmed the abduction, adding that 172 worshippers were abducted of which some returned leaving 163 worshippers in captivity.

Shortly after the report, the Kaduna State government countered the claims by the CAN, adding that no Christian worshippers were kidnapped during Sunday services in three churches in the Kajuru local government area.

Briefing journalists shortly after a security meeting, the government debunked the claims through the duo of the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu and the Chairman of Kajuru local government, Dauda Madaki.

The CP, Rabiu said the reported kidnap of over 100 worshippers at Kajuru, is mere falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna State.

However, the sources who spoke to Saharareporters exclusively on Wednesday, said the decision to debunk the incident followed confirmation by the Northern leadership of the CAN and was aimed at “downplaying publicity” around the abduction of worshippers during Sunday services.

“One of the overriding considerations was to avoid drawing attention from Washington, given the posture of the U.S. administration on Nigeria’s internal conflicts,” a source with knowledge of the discussions told SaharaReporters. “There was a clear effort to manage the optics.”

Another source pointed to political calculations tied to Governor Uba Sani’s re-election prospects and the state’s now-collapsed peace arrangement with armed groups.

“The kidnapping cut directly against the government’s peace model,” the source said. “Admitting it would have been embarrassing, so the instinct was to deny.”

Sources further alleged that the state government engaged in subtle media control to minimize reports of killings and kidnappings across Kaduna.

“There has been pressure to preserve the sanctity of the peace model,” one source said. “As a result, violent crimes perpetrated by bandits and Islamic terrorists have been underreported by media on the ground.”

Police Headquarters Intervenes

Separately, senior officers at the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) headquarters in Abuja were said to be dismayed by the handling of the incident by the Kaduna State Police Command.

A senior police officer at Force Headquarters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told SaharaReporters that the denial did not emanate from a collective decision of the State Security Council.

“From our findings, it was not the collective decision of the State Security Council,” the officer said. “It was the decision of the Governor and his team to direct the Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner of Internal Security, and the local government chairman to debunk the confirmation by CAN, for strategic reasons best known to the Governor, which we cannot rationalize.”

The officer said the sequence of events raised red flags within the police hierarchy.

“We also noted curiously that the Governor, after the same security meeting, posted an update on his official social media handles about general security developments but failed to mention or deny the specific kidnapping,” the source said. “That clearly indicated something was amiss.”

According to the officer, the media had already aired interviews with CAN’s Northern chairman, Rev. John Hayab, confirming the abduction before the state’s denial was issued. “Yet suddenly, after the State Security Council meeting on Monday, officials were directed to debunk the story, claiming not a single person was kidnapped,” the source said.

“We know there were infractions,” the officer added. “This is why we insisted the Commissioner of Police visit the area, which he did. We in Abuja have since issued a statement confirming the incident occurred and that we are doing our best to resolve it.”

The police source further alleged that government officials went beyond verbal denials.

“Apart from television interviews the police commissioner granted, government officials wrote and issued statements and even shared videos of the briefing on several platforms,” the officer said.

Behind-the-Scenes Efforts

Despite the public denial, sources said the state government has been engaged in quiet efforts to secure the release of the abducted worshippers. “There have been several shuttles behind the scenes on how to recover the worshippers,” a credible source said.

According to the source, Governor Sani has been in Abuja consulting with the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and other security chiefs.

“The consultations are focused on who can be instrumental in securing their release,” the source said.

SaharaReporters

Saharareporters had previously reported that in a daring attack on Sunday, a gang of bandits struck multiple churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, abducting over 100 worshippers during ongoing services.

Nigeria is a zoo like no other

If they explain Nigeria to you

That senselessness and uselessness to defend failure of leadership and incompetency. Playing politics while lived are being endangered by their fanatic terrorists foot soldiers. Now did the jihadist bandits abduct muslims? Later they will be twisting the narratives.

Disgraceful. Uba Sani is just all about media imagery, PR and propaganda. Sprinkled with a little bandit negotiations here and there that are tagged as "peace deals". Any peace procured with money is not sustainable.

Suspicion of govt hand in dis saga is clearer. my kwantry fiful we don enta o

Hmmmm

Christian Association CAN Faults Nigerian Police Over Denial Of Mass Kidnappings In Kaduna Church
January 21, 2026
NEWS

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Joseph John Hayab, has expressed shock over the response of the Nigerian police and other security agencies to reports of a mass kidnapping at a church in Kaduna State.

Hayab criticised security authorities for initially denying that the incident occurred, despite widespread reports and claims that multiple worshippers were abducted during the attack.

He made his remarks during an interview on Arise Television, which was monitored by SaharaReporters.

According to him, the controversy surrounding the incident was worsened by conflicting statements from officials and security agencies, particularly on the number of victims involved.

Hayab noted that arguments over figures distracted from the core issue of the abduction itself.

"One of the reasons why you are seeing figures flying around, is because in the communication yesterday, there was claim that if it really happened, show us the name and before 5am the names were flying everywhere," he said.

He stressed that the church and community had consistently maintained that the incident took place, urging security agencies to focus less on disputing numbers and more on addressing the crime.

"A lot of people were kidnapped, that is right, what we have kept telling security agencies is that let's not debate about numbers," Hayab stated.

The CAN chairman further expressed concern that security agencies were informed immediately after the incident, yet later issued statements denying that any kidnapping occurred. He described this as disturbing and confusing.

"The moment the incident happened, security agencies were informed, I think that is why we were a little bit worried, that how could security agencies be informed and only to come out later and deny? How could security agencies even send a signal about this, which is what they do, only to come out and deny?" he said.

Hayab also questioned the role of a local government council chairman who reportedly gave an initial account of the incident, including casualty figures, only to later claim that nothing happened.

"I have asked questions severally, the council chairman who claimed he was there, he was the first to give us a figure, so we are shocked to hear him say nothing happened," Hayab added.

The incident has continued to generate public concern, with calls for clarity, accountability and a coordinated response from security agencies in addressing insecurity in Kaduna State.

Previously, SaharaReporters noted that during a daring attack on Sunday, a gang of bandits struck multiple churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, abducting over 100 worshippers during ongoing services.

A source with family members among the victims told SaharaReporters that the assailants stormed the churches, forcibly taking congregants.

Reports indicate that around 10 people considered vulnerable were released by the attackers.

While the report went round, the Nigerian police denied that such attack ever happened. However after public outcry, it made a u-turn admitting that there was such kidnap incident.

Nigerians have expressed disappointment at the security agencies for trying to sweep such kidnap case under the carpet.

Kaduna has faced repeated cases of deadly attacks by bandits.For instance, on January 3, SaharaReporters reported that bandits had killed four members of a family during a deadly overnight attack in Kachia town, Southern Kaduna.

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that the attack occurred near the newly established Federal University of Applied Science, the headquarters of Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A member of the affected family confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, identifying the victims as Mr. Bitrus Bahago, his wife, Mrs. Justina Bitrus Bahago, their son, Ibrahim Bitrus Bahago, and another relative, Adam Waziri.

“They are all four killed by the bandits,” the family source said.

SaharaReporters

Hayab criticised security authorities for initially denying that the incident occurred, despite widespread reports and claims that multiple worshippers were abducted during the attack.

EXCLUSIVE: Kaduna Police Commissioner Visits Abducted Worshippers’ Church, Orders Phones Switched Off As Escaped Victim Narrates Ordeal
January 21, 2026
NEWS
EXCLUSIVE

SaharaReporters can exclusively report that the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State Muhammad Rabiu, visited one of the churches where armed terrorists abducted worshippers in Kurmin Wali, a remote community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following the deadly attack that has thrown the area into fear and mourning.

Phones Switched Off, Recording Banned During Commissioner’s Visit.
Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that during the visit, the police commissioner, who arrived at the scene with heavily armed security operatives, instructed everyone present to switch off their mobile phones and warned them not to record videos or take photographs throughout the visit.

According to sources, the commissioner also visited the surrounding areas affected by the attack.

The visit followed attacks on communities in southern Kaduna. Meanwhile, the same police commissioner earlier denied that any abduction of worshippers took place.

SaharaReporters obtained a video from the scene showing the commissioner of police surrounded by armed officers as he inspected the church building and interacted with some of the victims.

In the video, one of the victims, seen wearing a yellow jersey, has visible head injuries. The victim reportedly escaped from the terrorists as they were transporting the abducted worshippers into the forest.

During the visit, the commissioner was seen speaking directly to the injured victim inside the church, questioning him in Hausa about how he managed to escape from the abductors and what exactly transpired during the attack.

Escaped Victim Recounts How He Fled With His Child
Narrating his ordeal to the commissioner and his team, the victim explained that the attack happened suddenly while they were in church for worship.

He said, “When we reached the place where they chased people, I was carrying my daughter in my hand. Because we were many, when we reached an area where houses were close to each other and the road was narrow, I managed to escape. I entered one house and locked it. None of them noticed me.”

When the police commissioner asked whether he was inside the church when the attack began, the victim clarified that he was worshipping in another church nearby.
“I was in the second church, ECWA church,” he said.

One of the police investigators standing beside the commissioner then asked the victim to explain what happened from the moment the terrorists arrived at the church premises.

The victim said, “While we were inside the church, we heard people screaming and shouting. When I came outside, I saw bandits standing in front of our church with guns. Immediately, I carried my daughter and wanted to run away. One of the bandits told me that if I tried to run, he would kill me. Instantly, I stopped.”

He continued, “When I stopped, they told us to follow them. As we were moving forward, in front of another church, I saw that they had already captured some worshippers and gathered them in one place.”

Victims Beaten, Mixed With Other Kidnap Victims
According to the victim, after the terrorists assembled all the abducted worshippers and other victims together, they were forced to march into the bush.

“When they gathered all of us, they told us to move forward and enter the bush. When we reached a town where they had already chased people away, they stopped us there. They started beating us. They did not ask us any questions; they just kept beating us. After they were satisfied with the beating, they told us to stand up and continue walking,” he explained.

The victim further revealed that the abductors were not only holding church worshippers but also other kidnapped persons taken from different locations before the church attack.

“As we reached another community, I managed to enter a house and locked it. The people they kidnapped were many; not only worshippers. They also had people they kidnapped before us. From that community, I later managed to escape into the bush and found my way back here,” he said.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the victim appeared weak and visibly traumatized as he spoke, with injuries on his head believed to have been sustained during the attack or while escaping.

Residents of Kurmin Wali expressed anger and frustration over the incident, lamenting over repeated failures of security agencies to protect rural communities in Southern Kaduna, which has suffered frequent attacks by armed groups.

Community members also questioned the decision by the police commissioner to order phones switched off during his visit, describing it as an attempt to prevent documentation of the scene and the condition of victims.

However, many families remain in anguish as scores of worshippers are still being held captive by the terrorists, with no official confirmation yet on rescue efforts or negotiations.
Activists, Village Head Confirm Abductions Took Place

The attack in Kurmin Wali is the latest in a series of violent assaults on churches and rural communities in Kaduna State, raising concerns about worsening insecurity and the safety of worshippers across the state.

Meanwhile, some activists visited the churches where worshippers were reportedly kidnapped, confirming that at least 11 people managed to escape during the attack.

According to the activists, their findings contradicted claims circulating on social media in which the government denied that any abduction took place or insisted that nothing happened.

During the visit, the activists met with one of the village heads, who also confirmed that the abduction did occur and that several members narrowly escaped from the attackers.

The village head explained in detail how some of the escapees were severely beaten by the terrorists before managing to flee, leaving many of them injured.

He stated that the attackers assaulted the victims mercilessly and inflicted serious injuries on them, adding that the community could only account for those who were physically present and had successfully escaped.

“They beat them and injured them badly. We can only confirm those we have seen with our own eyes, those who escaped,” the village head said.

One of the victims who managed to escape removed his clothes to show the activists the marks and scars he sustained from the beating.

The activists observed visible bruises and injuries covering his back, clearly indicating the level of violence he endured at the hands of the attackers.

The activists said their visit and direct interactions with victims and community leaders provided clear evidence that the abduction did take place.

Saharareporters had previously reported that in a daring attack on Sunday, a gang of bandits struck multiple churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, abducting over 100 worshippers during ongoing services.

The Chairman of 19 Northern States chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Hayab, subsequently confirmed the abduction, adding that 172 worshippers were abducted of which some returned leaving 163 worshippers in captivity.

Shortly after the report, the Kaduna State government countered the claims by the CAN, adding that no Christian worshippers were kidnapped during Sunday services in three churches in the Kajuru local government area.

SaharaReporters

Phones Switched Off, Recording Banned During Commissioner’s Visit.

Kaduna Police Commissioner Knows About Kidnapped Churchgoers But Acting On His Paymasters' Script To Keep His Job — Prof Odinkalu
January 21, 2026
NEWS

A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu, has accused the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, of deliberately suppressing the truth about the alleged abduction of churchgoers in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

Odinkalu made the allegation in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, where he shared videos showing a team of police led by the CP visiting the affected community following reports of the mass abduction.

In the post, the human rights lawyer questioned the credibility of the police denial of the incident, insisting that the Nigeria Police Force was fully aware of what transpired but was acting under external influence.

"The Nigeria Police alone know whose and what script they are acting out in claiming to deny the mass abduction last Sunday of the Kajuru 177,” Odinkalu wrote.

According to him, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police had personally visited the community alongside other security personnel, inspected the affected churches, and engaged directly with survivors of the alleged attack.

"Kaduna State CP, Muhammad Rabiu, has been to the community with his folks. He has seen the affected places of worship and personally spoken to survivors,” Odinkalu stated.

He, however, suggested that the police chief was unwilling to publicly confirm the incident due to fear of repercussions from powerful interests outside the state.

"I suspect the CP may fear that if he says truthfully what he saw, his paymasters in Abuja who have paid $9 billion elsewhere to buy a convenient narrative, will come for his job,” Odinkalu added.

The comments come amid growing controversy over conflicting accounts surrounding the reported kidnapping of worshippers in Kajuru, a local government area that has previously experienced violent attacks and mass abductions.

Previously, SaharaReporters noted that during a daring attack on Sunday, a gang of bandits struck multiple churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, abducting over 100 worshippers during ongoing services.

A source with family members among the victims told SaharaReporters that the assailants stormed the churches, forcibly taking congregants.

Reports indicate that around 10 people considered vulnerable were released by the attackers.

While the report went round, the Nigerian police denied that such an attack ever happened. However, after public outcry, it made a U-turn, admitting that there was such a kidnap incident.

Nigerians expressed disappointment at the security agencies for trying to sweep such kidnap case under the carpet.

Kaduna has faced repeated cases of deadly attacks by bandits.

For instance, on January 3, SaharaReporters reported that bandits had killed four members of a family during a deadly overnight attack in Kachia town, Southern Kaduna.

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that the attack occurred near the newly established Federal University of Applied Science, the headquarters of Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A member of the affected family confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, identifying the victims as Mr. Bitrus Bahago, his wife, Mrs. Justina Bitrus Bahago, their son, Ibrahim Bitrus Bahago, and another relative, Adam Waziri.

“They are all four killed by the bandits,” the family source said.

Odinkalu’s remarks have further intensified calls for an independent investigation into the alleged abduction and for security agencies to provide a clear and truthful account of events to the public.

SaharaReporters

Odinkalu made the allegation in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, where he shared videos showing a team of police led by the CP visiting the affected community following reports of the mass abduction.

Muslims hate Christians to the core, how can a brother keeper do this to you.

Kaduna Abduction: How I Was Stopped From Fact-Finding Mission - Journalist


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILLkoWvRNJw?si=bvltTurc-hda_Nfe

Only a low-IQ person would believe that the kidnapping of 100 people can be concealed

Very useless people. Fake president and his useless governors.

The government and the police commissioner are part of the Jihadist



The earlier we tell ourselves the truth the better...




They denied so that the Jihadist will flee without being pursued...




I implore the defense minister to interrogate the chairman and the police commissioner...


These are recruited bandits/ Jihadist

They will surely collect from US.

They cant escape it.

Denial wont spare them

As usual APC government. Template. Lies , denial and propaganda. Government

Hmmmm. Okay. Sooner or later, the truth will come out

Last last Apc will successfully collapse Nigeria… imagine a government jostling over who kidnapped who… why not own up the act and be honourable about it…

Sincerely speaking if Trump was in government in 2011, Apc , Tinubu and Buhari wouldn’t have dared to go close to Abuja not to mention Aso Rock

So the State government covered Up the kidnapping? Wonderful. Were they expecting the kidnapping of over 100 humans to be kept a secret?
Maybe na the Onitsha screw driver merchant expose this one too...m

NOETHNICITY:
Only a low-IQ person would believe that the kidnapping of 100 people can be concealed

Indictment on your fellow Agbadorians, Because na una sabi deny the obvious to make oga druggie's government appear good.

These apc government is clearly behind all these. The sooner will call the US for help on this matter the better.

Denial means culpability.

Can a man hide a lantern under his bossom without being burnt? The cost of hiding an incident is alway greater than the incident itself.,
This is why a stitch in time saves nine. One cannot cover pregnancy

An Nnewi carpenter is already aware of what happened and I'm sure he has already called Trump about the issue

The next civil war go loud gan
This useless APC is playing with fire

I told someone here on Monday that all that happened in Kaduna was true. I myself witness more then 30 Christian being burnt alive during early 2000s Sharia clash in Kaduna. Even though I was 13 then, our house was burnt, naugbour kpai and burnt alive. All Christian before most Christian from other locations start attacking Muslim too

That's a lame excuse. The police is not a dependable organization and they have proven that once again. You can't shame the shameless..!

Proverb 28: 13

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.


This is why Nigeria is not prospering. We cover evil too much