Extremists invaded three churches simultaneously on Jan. 18, kidnapping 177 Christians, and Nigerian officials initially appeared to deny the incident.
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Christian Daily International-Morning Star News — quoting information from the news outlet Truth Nigeria — reports that Muslim Fulani herdsmen descended at 9 a.m. upon two Cherubim and Seraphim churches and one Evangelical Church Winning All in Kurmin Wali village in Nigeria’s Kaduna state.
Eleven of the people kidnapped were able to escape as the assailants marched the captives to a wilderness area.
On Jan. 19, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, police commissioner for Kaduna state police, said talk of a mass kidnapping was “falsehood.”
The same day, Benjamin Hundeyin, who is chief superintendent of police, said statements initially seen as a denial were actually a measured response until the facts could be ascertained, states Christian Daily-Morning Star.
He said the incident has been confirmed and police are working with other security to locate and rescue the captives.
World Watch
Nigeria is No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 places most difficult to be a Christian. Nigeria has led the world in the number of Christians killed for their faith or kidnapped.
