Kaduna Police Commissioner Visits Abducted Worshippers’ Church, Orders Phones Switched Off As Escaped Victim Narrates Ordeal
Phones Switched Off, Recording Banned During Police Commissioner’s Visit to Terror-Attacked Church in Kaduna — Sources
January 21, 2026 | News
The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Muhammad Rabiu, 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 that has left the area in fear and mourning.
SaharaReporters gathered that during the visit, the police commissioner, who arrived with heavily armed security operatives, ordered all persons present to switch off their mobile phones and warned against taking photographs or recording videos throughout the inspection.
Multiple sources said the commissioner also toured surrounding areas affected by the attack.
The visit came amid growing public outrage over recent attacks on communities in Southern Kaduna, even as the same police commissioner had earlier denied that any abduction of worshippers took place.
SaharaReporters obtained a video from the scene showing the commissioner surrounded by armed officers as he inspected the church building and interacted with victims.
In the footage, one victim—wearing a yellow jersey—was seen with visible head injuries. The victim reportedly escaped while terrorists were transporting abducted worshippers into the forest.
During the visit, the commissioner questioned the injured victim in Hausa about how he managed to escape and what transpired during the attack.
Escaped Victim Recounts How He Fled With His Child
Narrating his ordeal, the victim said the attack occurred suddenly during worship.
“When we reached the place where they were chasing people, I was carrying my daughter,” he said. “Because we were many, when we reached an area with narrow roads and houses close together, I managed to escape. I entered a house and locked it. None of them noticed me.”
When asked whether he was inside the attacked church at the time, the victim clarified that he was worshipping at another nearby church.
“I was in the second church, ECWA church,” he said.
A police investigator then asked him to recount events from the moment the terrorists arrived.
“While we were inside the church, we heard people shouting,” he said. “When I came outside, I saw bandits standing in front of the church with guns. I picked my daughter to run, but one of them threatened to kill me if I tried. I stopped.”
He added that worshippers were ordered to follow the attackers and that, at another church, he saw abducted victims already gathered.
Victims Beaten, Marched Into the Bush
The victim said abducted worshippers were forced into the bush along with other kidnapped persons from earlier attacks.
“They gathered us and told us to move forward,” he said. “At one point, they beat us without asking questions, then ordered us to continue walking.”
He said he later escaped by entering a house in another community before making his way through the bush back to Kurmin Wali.
Sources said the victim appeared weak and traumatised, with injuries believed to have been sustained during the attack or escape.
Residents expressed anger over what they described as repeated security failures in rural Southern Kaduna, questioning why vulnerable communities remain exposed to attacks.
Some community members also criticised the commissioner’s instruction to switch off phones, describing it as an attempt to prevent documentation of the scene and the condition of victims.
Meanwhile, scores of worshippers are still believed to be in captivity, with no official confirmation on rescue efforts or negotiations.
Activists, Village Head Confirm Abductions
The Kurmin Wali attack is the latest in a series of assaults on churches and rural communities in Kaduna State, intensifying concerns over worsening insecurity.
Activists who later visited the affected churches confirmed that at least 11 worshippers escaped during the attack, contradicting government claims that no abduction occurred.
During the visit, a village head also confirmed the abductions, saying several victims were severely beaten before escaping.
“They beat them badly. We can only confirm those we have seen who escaped,” the village head said.
One escapee reportedly showed activists visible marks from the assault.
The activists said their findings provided clear evidence that the abduction did take place.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that bandits attacked multiple churches in Kurmin Wali during Sunday services, abducting over 100 worshippers.
The Chairman of the 19 Northern States chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Hayab, later said 172 worshippers were abducted, with 163 still in captivity.
The Kaduna State Government subsequently disputed the claim, insisting that no worshippers were kidnapped during church services in Kajuru Local Government Area.