Barely a week after bandits kidnapped over 160 Christian worshippers from Kurmin Wali churches in Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, some bandits, early yesterday, stormed Unguwar Barkonu, in Maraban Kajuru, Kufana ward, and abducted six residents.
This was even as special prayers for the safe return of 177 worshippers in captivity was organized by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kajuru chapter, during church services on Sunday.
A resident, Steven Kefas, posted on his Facebook page that bandits had stormed the area by 1 a.m. on Sunday, broke into some houses and forcefully took the victims to an unknown destination.
He said, “This incident didn’t occur in a remote village with no access to road; it happened right at the heart of Kajuru, in Kufana.”
As at the time of filing this report, there was no response from the police or other security agencies.
However, commenting on the kidnapping of the six people in Maraban Kajuru, the chairman of CAN, Kajuru, Rev. Enoch Kaura, said the incident happened (Saturday) around 11 p.m. when the bandits stormed the area, adding, “They surrounded the area but when the neighbors heard strange noises, they came out and left with only six residents.
“The special prayer session for the safe return of the 177 worshippers was held today (Sunday) at Tawaliu Baptist Church, in Maraban Kajuru.
“It brought together Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and the wider northern region, as families of the abducted worshippers continued to wait anxiously for their release.”
Speaking at the prayer gathering, the chairman of CAN in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, urged churches to strengthen surveillance and security around places of worship in response to the growing threats against worship centres.
He said churches must combine prayer with vigilance by putting in place basic internal security and monitoring arrangements that would enable them to observe activities within and around worship premises during services.
According to him, unrestricted access to church premises without situational awareness exposes worshippers to danger and leaves congregations vulnerable to attacks.
Rev. Hayab described the security situation in Kajuru as deeply troubling, noting that repeated attacks on communities and churches had reached an unacceptable level and required urgent, collective action.
He warned that, unless proactive steps were taken, churches would continue to suffer losses, stressing that faith must be accompanied by responsibility and preparedness.
“We have been praying and watching, instead of watching and praying. The church must wake up,” Hayab said.
In his remarks, Kaura said the prayer session was convened to seek God’s intervention for the safe return of the abducted worshippers and to pray for wisdom for government authorities and security agencies in addressing insecurity in the area.
Kaura condemned the abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali and criticised what he described as the initial denial of the incident by government authorities, saying it cast doubts on the accounts of victims, families, clergy and witnesses.
He traced the roots of insecurity in Kajuru to the 1980s, noting that violence escalated in 2017 and 2018 during the crisis in Kasuwan Magani, which culminated in the abduction and killing of the area’s paramount ruler.
According to him, the Kurmin Wali abduction was not an isolated incident, recalling previous attacks on Buda Church, where a pastor and some members were abducted, as well as the killing of a church member in Ugakala Maro last year.
He said, since 2019, no fewer than 11 pastors and their wives have been killed, while several others have been abducted, forcing many communities to abandon their homes.
While acknowledging that the administration of Governor Uba Sani had recorded relative peace in parts of Kajuru, Rev. Kaura said lingering insecurity continued to prevent residents from fully returning to normal life, particularly in harvesting their farm produce.
He called on the government and security agencies to intensify security operations in Kajuru and other vulnerable areas to prevent further attacks and ensure the rescue of all abducted worshippers.
The prayer session was graced by the Kaduna State chairman of CAN, Reverend Caleb Bawa Ma’aji, bishops and clergy from various denominations.
