Nigeria: Gunmen kidnap more than 160 in church attacks

"A leader at Nigeria's Christian Association said that 163 worshippers were kidnapped during Sunday services from two churches Kaduna state. "The attackers came in numbers and blocked the entrance of the churches and forced the worshippers out into the bush," Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the country's north, said on Monday. "The actual number they took was 172 but nine escaped, so 163 are with them," he said."

"A police spokesperson told Reuters news agency that gunmen with "sophisticated weapons" attacked the two churches, but that police were still trying to confirm the number taken. The attacks occurred in the village of Kurmin Wali, a largely Christian forest community. It is remote and difficult to reach due to bad roads, the police spokesperson said. Police said troops and other security agencies had been deployed to the area and that efforts were under way to track the abductors and rescue the captives."

"Such attacks are common in central and northern Nigeria, where multiple criminal or "bandit" gangs, as well as religious armed groups, raid remote communities with limited security and government presence. In November, armed gangs seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, which borders Kaduna. They were released weeks later in two batches. Nigeria's abductions are predominantly for ransom, with armed groups using the money to fund other crimes and control villages."

Gunmen attacked two churches in Kurmin Wali, Kaduna state, during Sunday services and abducted between 163 and 168 worshippers. The attackers blocked church entrances, forced worshippers into nearby bush, and carried victims away. The community is remote, largely Christian, and difficult to access because of poor roads. Security forces, including troops, were deployed to pursue the abductors and attempt rescues while authorities continued to verify exact numbers. Kidnappings-for-ransom are common across central and northern Nigeria, with gangs and armed groups raiding villages to raise funds. Abduction operations have become a structured profit-seeking industry, generating approximately $1.66 million from June 2024 to July 2025.

Read at www.dw.com