Kidnappers of 166 Christian worshippers in Kurmin Wali community in southern Kaduna have demanded payment of N29 million deposit before they will open talks on how much they will collect for each of the abductees.
The mass abduction, which occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026, saw gunmen storming multiple churches at around 9 a.m., including the Cherubim and Seraphim Church and the Evangelical Church Winning All, seizing congregants and forcing them into the forest.
Among the victims is the Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, although he later escaped with 10 others.
Witnesses described the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles, as precise and ruthless.
“They forced worshippers to march from one church to another, gathering over 50 people from our denomination alone before leading everyone away,” said Yunana Dauji, Secretary of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
Eleven captives managed to escape during the trek through the forest. However, 166 people, including women and children, remain in the hands of the kidnappers.
Residents have been forced to abandon their homes and farms, schools have been closed indefinitely, and the village market sits deserted. “There is no going to school, no farming. Most of us have run away. We cannot stay here anymore,” said farmer Hasan Emman.
Initially, the Kaduna State Government, police, and Kajuru Local Government Chairman dismissed reports of the abduction.
However, Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin later confirmed the incident, explaining that initial statements were “a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field.”
The kidnappers have not formally demanded ransom for the 166 captives. Instead, they have linked the release of the hostages to the return of 17 motorcycles allegedly lost during recent military operations. Each bike is valued at roughly N1.7 million, meaning the community would need to pay approximately N28.9 million just to resolve the motorcycle dispute — separate from any monetary ransom.
“The bandits insist that all the motorcycles must be returned before they release our people,” said Village Head Dan’azumi. He explained that some bikes were allegedly tampered with by removing carburetors and spark plugs.
Military sources told The Punch that the attack was carried out by bandits displaced by ongoing military offensives in neighboring Kauru Local Government Area.
The assault appears to be retaliatory, targeting soft civilian settlements as the armed groups fled from security operations.
Troops have been deployed in “hot pursuit” operations across the forest corridors and surrounding areas, but the rugged terrain has allowed the abductors to evade capture.
The repeated attacks underscore the persistent security challenges in Southern and Central Kaduna, where banditry has thrived for over a decade due to vast ungoverned forest areas and porous borders.
Analysts warn that dislodged bandits often retaliate by targeting vulnerable communities.
With no ransom negotiations concluded and no clear timeline for the release of the hostages, Kurmin Wali residents continue to live in fear, their homes abandoned and their lives upended
