Christian worshippers abducted from three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have shared distressing accounts of starvation, physical abuse and severe restrictions during their captivity.
The 172 rescued victims, who were kidnapped on January 18 while attending Sunday church services, narrated their experiences on Thursday after they were received by Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, at the Government House.
Of the abducted worshippers, 83 managed to escape and return home on Sunday, while the remaining 89 were freed in the early hours of Thursday, bringing relief to families and the wider community.
Some of the freed captives told journalists that they were given food only once or twice a day, mostly pap prepared from maize flour. A female victim disclosed that they trekked through the forest for six days before reaching the bandits’ camp, which was located near a river.
According to her, drinking water was fetched from the nearby river, while movement was strictly controlled. She said captives were not allowed to move freely and were escorted even when attending to personal needs.
The victim further revealed that men were regularly beaten, while children were flogged for crying, which the abductors claimed was disturbing them. She described the ordeal as terrifying and expressed gratitude for surviving the experience.
Investigations showed that most of the abducted persons were women and children between the ages of two and 13. Some of the women were either pregnant or nursing mothers at the time of the abduction.
While receiving the victims, Governor Uba Sani condemned the attack, describing it as deeply troubling, especially in light of the state government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen security across Kaduna.
He stated that the government had worked closely with security agencies over the past two and a half years to safeguard lives and property, adding that relevant authorities were immediately mobilised after the incident to ensure the victims’ safe return.
The governor confirmed that a total of 183 persons were abducted during the attack, noting that 11 escaped while being taken into the forest. He said all victims had now been accounted for and medically assessed.
Governor Sani assured that the rescued worshippers would receive medical and psychological support before returning fully to their homes. He also criticised attempts to politicise the abduction, stressing that protecting lives remains the government’s top priority.
The governor thanked President Bola Tinubu for his concern and frequent communication following the incident, as well as the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other security agencies for their coordinated efforts in securing the victims’ release.
Despite the declaration of a state of emergency on security by President Tinubu in 2025, armed groups continue to carry out large-scale attacks in parts of the country, raising renewed concerns over Nigeria’s security challenges.
