The police have confirmed that an abduction did occur at the Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, days after security authorities and the state government dismissed reports of the incident as “false” and demanded proof from residents and religious leaders.
The confirmation, contained in a statement issued on Tuesday night by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, followed mounting public outrage, contradictory official narratives, and claims by church leaders that scores of worshippers were abducted during church services.
Hundeyin said the abduction, which sparked fear and panic in the community, was initially disputed during a meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council convened by Governor Uba Sani.
“Subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur,” the police spokesperson said, admitting that the earlier posture of the police was based on conflicting accounts from individuals within the affected local government area.
The police added that some residents initially described the report as false, creating uncertainty and prompting further checks by security agencies, a development that effectively delayed official acknowledgment of the crime.
The police also attempted to walk back earlier comments credited to the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, which were widely interpreted as a categorical denial of the abduction.
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Hundeyin claimed the commissioner’s remarks were intended to prevent public panic while “details were being confirmed,” even though victims’ families and church officials had continued to raise the alarm.
Following the confirmation, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the deployment of “critical operational and intelligence assets” to Kajuru and surrounding communities.
The police said tactical units have been mobilised, patrols intensified, and search-and-rescue operations launched to locate the abducted victims and restore calm to the area.
However, the belated admission has drawn criticism, especially as religious leaders had earlier accused security agencies of trivialising the incident.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the FCT, Rev. John Hayab, had insisted that scores of worshippers were abducted during coordinated attacks on churches in the community.
