Kaduna — The Adara Development Association (ADA) has raised the alarm over what it described as the abduction of 166 worshippers by armed bandits in Kurmin Wali community, Afogo Ward of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, accusing security officials and the local council chairman of suppressing the truth.

In a press statement signed by its president, Chief Sebastine A. Barde, ADA said the abduction occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026, when gunmen stormed church services in the community.

According to the association, worshippers at two congregations of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Churches I and II were surrounded and taken during service at about 10 a.m., while members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) were abducted as they were returning home after worship.

ADA claimed that a total of 177 persons were initially seized, out of whom 11 reportedly escaped, leaving 166 worshippers currently in captivity.

The group gave a breakdown of the abducted persons as follows: 50 from Cherubim and Seraphim Church I, 92 from Cherubim and Seraphim Church II, and 24 from ECWA.

“The victims were taken at gunpoint and marched into the forest, while desperate efforts by the community to alert security agencies yielded no immediate rescue operation,” the statement alleged.

The association further accused the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, and the chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Mr Dauda Madaki, of deliberately downplaying and publicly denying the incident after visiting the community on Monday, January 19.

ADA described as “painful and misleading” the officials’ public position that no abduction took place, noting that reports of the incident were dismissed as rumours allegedly spread by “conflict entrepreneurs”.

Reacting to the denial, the group said it had submitted a comprehensive list of the 166 abducted persons and challenged the police commissioner and council chairman to present verifiable evidence to support their claims.

“Survivors of the attack and relatives of the abducted victims are available to substantiate these facts,” ADA stated.

The association demanded a public apology from both officials for what it termed the suppression of the truth and called on Governor Uba Sani to intervene, demonstrate moral leadership and ensure accountability.

While expressing concern over what it described as persistent insecurity in Adara communities, ADA appealed to the Federal Government, Kaduna State Government and “people of goodwill” to urgently support efforts to rescue the abducted worshippers and secure vulnerable communities.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kaduna State Police Command and the Kajuru Local Government chairman had yet to issue a fresh response to the allegations raised by the Adara Development Association. (Vanguard)

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