In a disturbing turn of events, over 150 worshippers have been abducted from three separate churches in northwest Nigeria. The simultaneous attacks occurred on Sunday in the Kurmin Wali community of Kaduna state, targeting the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim denomination church, and a Catholic church.
According to Usman Danlami Stingo, a state parliament representative for the affected area, 177 people were initially reported missing, with 11 later returning. This leaves 168 individuals still unaccounted for in the wake of this brazen assault on places of worship.
The Kaduna state police have yet to comment on the incident, and no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions. Such attacks, however, are all too common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where various armed gangs and religious extremist groups have targeted remote communities with limited security and government presence.
The northern region of Nigeria has borne the brunt of these escalating security crises, which have sparked allegations of the persecution of Christians by U.S. President Donald Trump and some American lawmakers. The Nigerian government, however, has rejected the characterization of these events as a “Christian genocide.”
In a related development, the Nigerian air force reported conducting strikes on 15 and 16 January in the Musarram and Azir areas, which resulted in the deaths of over 40 militants and the destruction of around 10 canoes. These operations were part of ongoing efforts to combat the Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgencies, which have plagued the northeastern state of Borno for the past 17 years.
Air force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame confirmed that the strikes were carried out in response to intelligence indicating that the militants were massing in canoes to attack Baga town and the fish dam area of Lake Chad. The air force stated that the bombing runs disrupted the group’s plans, with fleeing gunmen being tracked and neutralized in nearby trees.
As the security situation in Nigeria remains volatile, these latest incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the country’s religious communities and the government’s efforts to combat the persistent threat of armed groups. The abduction of over 150 worshippers is a sobering reminder of the fragility of the situation and the urgent need for a comprehensive response to address the root causes of the violence.
