The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Muhammad Rabiu, has visited one of the churches attacked by armed terrorists in Kurmin Wali, a remote community in Kajuru Local Government Area, following the abduction of worshippers during Sunday services.
Multiple sources confirmed that the police commissioner arrived at the church with heavily armed security operatives and instructed all those present to switch off their mobile phones. He reportedly warned against taking photographs or recording videos throughout the visit.
Sources said the commissioner also toured surrounding communities affected by the attack. The visit came days after the police initially denied that any worshippers were abducted during the incident.
A video obtained from the scene shows the commissioner inspecting the church premises while surrounded by armed officers. In the footage, an injured victim wearing a yellow jersey is seen speaking with the police commissioner inside the church. The victim, who had visible head injuries, reportedly escaped from the abductors while they were being marched into the forest.
During the interaction, the commissioner questioned the victim in Hausa about how he escaped and what happened during the attack.
Escaped Victim Recounts Ordeal
The victim told the police team that the attack occurred suddenly during church services. He explained that while fleeing with his daughter, he managed to escape when the abductors were distracted in a densely built area with narrow roads.
“I entered a house and locked it. None of them noticed me,” he said.
He clarified that he had been worshipping at another church nearby, the ECWA church, when the attack began.
According to the victim, armed men surrounded the church premises, threatened worshippers with guns, and forced them to move together after capturing people from multiple churches.
“They gathered us and told us to move into the bush. When we reached a town, they beat us badly without asking any questions,” he said.
He added that the abductors were holding other kidnapped victims taken from different locations before the church attack.
“The people they kidnapped were many — not only worshippers,” he stated.
The victim eventually escaped again by hiding in a house in another community before making his way back through the bush.
Community Anger, Conflicting Official Accounts
Residents of Kurmin Wali expressed anger over the repeated attacks in Southern Kaduna and questioned the decision by the police commissioner to ban phone recordings during the visit, describing it as an attempt to prevent documentation of victims’ conditions.
Activists who later visited the affected churches confirmed that at least 11 worshippers escaped during the attack. They also met with a village head who confirmed that abductions took place and that several victims were severely beaten before escaping.
Some victims reportedly showed activists visible injuries and scars sustained during the attack.
The activists said their findings contradicted official claims that no abduction occurred.
Earlier, SaharaReporters had reported that over 100 worshippers were abducted during coordinated attacks on multiple churches in the area. The Chairman of the 19 Northern States chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Hayab, later stated that 172 worshippers were abducted, with 163 still in captivity.
However, the Kaduna State government denied the reports, insisting that no church worshippers were kidnapped during the incident.
As of now, many families remain uncertain about the fate of their loved ones, with no official confirmation on rescue efforts or negotiations.
