By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has held a special prayer session for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community.
The prayer session, which took place at Tawaliu Baptist Church in Maraban Kajuru, brought together Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and the wider northern region. Families of the abducted worshippers were also in attendance as anxiety continues over the fate of those still in captivity.
The worshippers, drawn from churches including the Evangelical Church Winning All and the Cherubim and Seraphim, were abducted during Sunday services when armed men invaded Kurmin Wali community and forced congregants into nearby forests. While a few later escaped, many remain in captivity.
Speaking at the gathering, the Chairman of CAN for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, urged churches to strengthen surveillance and security around worship centres in view of rising attacks.
Rev. Hayab said churches must combine prayer with vigilance by putting basic security and monitoring measures in place to observe activities within and around church premises during services. He warned that unrestricted access without situational awareness exposes worshippers to danger.
Describing the security situation in Kajuru as deeply troubling, he said repeated attacks on communities and churches had reached an unacceptable level and required urgent collective action.
“We have been praying and watching instead of watching and praying. The church must wake up,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, Rev. Enoch Kaura, said the prayer session was organised to seek divine intervention for the safe return of the abducted worshippers and to pray for wisdom for government authorities and security agencies.
Rev. Kaura condemned the abduction in Kurmin Wali and criticised what he described as the initial denial of the incident by government authorities, saying it undermined the accounts of victims, families and eyewitnesses.
He traced insecurity in Kajuru to the 1980s, noting that violence escalated in 2017 and 2018 during the Kasuwan Magani crisis, which later led to the abduction and killing of the area’s paramount ruler.
According to him, the Kurmin Wali incident was not isolated. He recalled earlier attacks, including the abduction of a pastor and church members in Buda and the killing of a church member in Ugakala Maro. He said since 2019, no fewer than 11 pastors and their wives had been killed, with several others abducted, forcing many residents to flee their communities.
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, including harvesting their farm produce.
He called on the government and security agencies to intensify operations in Kajuru and other vulnerable areas to prevent further attacks and secure the release of all abducted worshippers.
The prayer session was attended by the Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, Rev. Caleb Bawa Ma’aji, alongside bishops and clergy from various Christian denominations.
