Over 160 Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna Regain Freedom

More than 160 worshippers abducted by bandits in Kurmin Wali village, located in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have been released. A reliable source familiar with the developments surrounding the abduction confirmed to SaharaReporters on Thursday that the victims, who were kidnapped in January 2026, have regained their freedom.

As of the time of this report, the freed worshippers were being evacuated to the Kaduna State Government House. Details surrounding the circumstances of their release remain unclear, and SaharaReporters is actively monitoring the situation for further updates.

In January, the terrorists who abducted no fewer than 166 worshippers in the Kajuru Local Government Area increased their ransom demand to N250 million and 20 motorcycles. The attack occurred on January 18, 2026, when gunmen invaded Kurmin Wali village during a religious gathering, indiscriminately abducting men, women, and youths.

Residents of Kajuru Local Government Area, situated in southern Kaduna, have long lived under the threat of banditry and kidnapping, with communities frequently targeted for mass abductions, killings, and arson attacks, displacing hundreds of families. Many villagers have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety, abandoning their farmlands and livelihoods as security challenges continue to escalate in rural parts of the state.

Community leaders have urged the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to urgently intensify rescue efforts and implement stronger security measures to prevent further assaults on vulnerable rural communities.

SaharaReporters previously reported that the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Muhammad Rabiu, visited one of the churches where terrorists abducted worshippers in Kurmin Wali, a remote community in the Kajuru Local Government Area, following the attack. Multiple sources informed SaharaReporters that during the visit, the police commissioner, accompanied by heavily armed security operatives, instructed everyone present to switch off their mobile phones and warned them against recording videos or taking photographs throughout the visit. According to sources, the commissioner also visited the surrounding areas affected by the attack.