Nigeria Kidnapping: Over 170 Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna

By Al Mayadeen English

Nigerian police confirm the mass abduction of Christian worshippers in Kaduna state after initially denying reports. Over 170 people were seized during church services.

Nigerian police have acknowledged the mass abduction of Christian worshippers in northern Kaduna state, confirming reports they had initially dismissed. The kidnapping incident took place during Sunday church services and involved over 170 people, marking a significant escalation in a wave of mass abductions targeting civilians across religious lines.

The police's admission comes amid heightened international scrutiny over Nigeria’s growing insecurity and the effectiveness of recent foreign military support.

The victims, who were attending services at three different churches, were seized by armed gangs commonly referred to as “bandits.” The attackers struck in Kaduna state, just months after hundreds of Catholic schoolchildren were briefly abducted in neighboring Niger state.

The Nigerian government is under increased diplomatic pressure, particularly from the United States. President Donald Trump last month ordered US strikes in Nigeria targeting militants allegedly linked to ISIS. The action followed his claims that Christians in Nigeria were being systematically targeted.

However, analysts say the one-time US strikes have done little to reduce the violence that has plagued the country’s northern and central regions. Nigeria continues to battle jihadist insurgencies, mass kidnappings, and farmer-herder conflicts over land and resources.

International Scrutiny and Media Response

While local authorities in Kaduna state initially labeled reports of the kidnapping as “totally false,” multiple witnesses confirmed the incident. A senior Christian clergy member and a village head told AFP that dozens were taken. A security report prepared for the United Nations put the number above 100.

Only on Tuesday did national police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin confirm the abduction, stating that a rescue operation had begun. He explained that initial comments by Kaduna police were meant “to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed.”

According to Kabir Adamu, a security analyst at Beacon Security and Intelligence, “security forces sometimes attempt to suppress security incidents” due to pressure from the government to demonstrate control.

Community testimonies and victim details

A Christian group submitted a list of the abducted, with long blocks of names sharing the same surname, suggesting entire families were taken, likely for ransom. “We did produce the names of over 177 people, and there is no contest that it was real,” said Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the north.

“Such a number couldn’t have been taken, and you think you can bury it just like that,” he added.

Despite the high-profile nature of the US strikes in Nigeria, analysts and journalists have questioned their effectiveness. While both US and Nigerian officials claimed militants were killed, no concrete evidence has been presented. The only verified casualties, according to local and international journalists, have been civilians.

Trump recently walked back initial claims that the strikes were isolated, stating: “if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.” A Nigerian source told AFP that going forward, US reconnaissance flights would provide intelligence while Nigerian jets would carry out airstrikes.

Reverend Hayab called for a sustained campaign: “It should be a sustainable strike until every terror camp, until every terrorist, until every terror sponsor, until every terror supporter, until every terror hideout is completely wiped out.

Ongoing Violence and Security Challenges

While Nigeria appears to have weathered the worst of last year’s pressure campaign from Washington, which included Trump threatening unilateral military intervention, security concerns remain high. Abuja has since signed a $750,000-per-month contract with a US lobbying firm to improve communication about its efforts to protect Christian communities and maintain American support in countering West African jihadist groups.

Despite diplomatic and military interventions, the Nigerian kidnapping crisis reflects a broader breakdown in security infrastructure. With armed groups targeting both Christian and Muslim communities, and with state responses hampered by political pressure and limited resources, mass abductions continue to shake confidence in Nigeria's ability to protect its population.