•38 persons snatched from my family – Survivor

It was supposed to be another quiet Sunday of worship in Kurmin Wali, a sleepy agrarian community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Instead, January 18, 2026 has become a date etched in grief, fear and unanswered questions, as gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed the village and abducted scores of worshippers during church services, Senior Correspondent Abdulgafar Alabelewe reports.

The attackers struck in broad daylight, moving from one church to another and turning sacred spaces into scenes of terror. By the time the dust settled, community leaders and church officials said 177 worshippers had been forcibly taken into the surrounding forests, leaving behind traumatised families and an entire village in shock.

Conflicting accounts initially followed the incident, with security sources dismissing reports of a mass abduction. But survivors’ testimonies, escapees’ stories and a growing list of missing persons painted a grim picture that could no longer be ignored.

One of those who lived to tell the tale is Mr. Joseph Bawa. Frail, soft-spoken and visibly shaken, Bawa was among the abducted worshippers who narrowly escaped death while being marched into the bush by the gunmen.

“It was on the 18th of January. We were in church around 9 am when the kidnappers came,” he recalled.

“They entered the church, scattered everything and ordered us to lie down.

“They collected our phones, money and whatever they could find.”

According to him, the attackers did not stop at one church. After robbing worshippers, they herded them to another church where more people were already lying face-down on the ground, terrified and helpless.

“They robbed everyone again and then forced all of us into the bush,” Bawa said.

“As we were moving, they kept beating us. Many people were injured. Some of them are now in the hospital.”

The journey into captivity was long and brutal. The abductees were pushed through thick vegetation until they arrived at what Bawa described as a deserted village, already emptied of its residents by fear of bandit attacks.

“Some people escaped from there, but I could not,” he said.

“Later, we reached a narrow river with strong water. There were many of us, and people were pushing to cross.”

That river became Bawa’s unlikely route to freedom. Weak and exhausted, he could not keep up with the others and was repeatedly beaten by the gunmen for slowing them down.

“Because of my age, I didn’t have the strength,” he recounted.

“They beat me and beat me. Eventually, everyone crossed the river, including the bandits, and they left me behind in the water.”

When he realised no one was watching him anymore, instinct took over. “I escaped through the water and into the bush until I reached another village,” he said.

What haunted him the most, however, were the words of the abductors. According to Bawa, the bandits claimed they had hidden 17 motorcycles in the bush, only to return and find them missing.

“They accused our community of stealing the motorcycles,” he said.

“They told us if we did not produce them, they would kill all of us.

“They also threatened to come back and wipe out those who were left in the village.”

Bawa said only 11 people managed to escape. “A total of 177 people were kidnapped. As of now, 166 people are still in their custody,” he added.

Another survivor, Yohana Dauji, secretary of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Kurmin Wali Number One, said the attack caught the congregation completely unprepared.

“Normally, we post people outside to watch. Suddenly, they came running to tell us that terrorists were approaching.”

Before any meaningful action could be taken, the gunmen had already surrounded the church. “Some people tried to run, others fell,” Dauji said.

“They told us not to run and promised not to harm us. But it was a lie.”

said worshippers were forced out and marched into the bush, with the attackers picking up more victims from other churches along the way.

“They threatened to shoot anyone who tried to escape,” she added.

For many families, the pain is deeper and more personal. Linus Idris Gwom, a community resident, was away from home when the attackers struck. A frantic phone call from his wife changed everything.

“I had gone out that morning to buy something along the main road,” he said.

“My wife called and said Fulani attackers had entered the village and were abducting people from the churches, including her and our two children.”

Gwom rushed back, only to meet a ghost village. “Before I got home, I noticed the village was empty,” he said.

“When I reached my compound, nobody was there.”

The scale of his loss is staggering. “From my family compound alone, they took 38 people. Only my father, my mother and I were left. Everyone else, including my wife and children, was taken.”

Two days after the attack, Governor Uba Sani visited Kurmin Wali, sympathised with residents and promised that the abducted villagers would be rescued within days.

He assured the community that the state government was working closely with the military, police, DSS and other agencies.

While debates over figures and narratives continue, community leaders insist that numbers are secondary to the human cost of the tragedy. Groups like the Adara Development Association have demanded accountability and urgent action, insisting that 166 worshippers remain in captivity.

For survivors like Joseph Bawa, the trauma lingers long after escape. The images of beaten worshippers, crying children and gun-wielding men still replay in his mind alongside the chilling threats of a return attack.

Despite the traumatic experience, Bawa commended Governor Uba Sani for personally visiting Kurmin Wali to sympathise with the victims and assess the situation.

He described the governor’s leadership as compassionate and people-centred.

He further expressed confidence in the governor’s commitment to the security and wellbeing of residents, offering prayers for his continued leadership of the state.

In Kurmin Wali, hope now hangs on the success of ongoing security operations.

Until their loved ones return, the churches remain quieter, the roads emptier, and a once-peaceful community continues to pray, not just for safety, but for answers.

Meanwhile, injured victims have been evacuated to Kaduna for medical attention and psychosocial support, in line with assurances given by Governor Uba Sani during his visit to the community. (The Nation)

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