The Christian Association of Nigeria in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has held a special prayer session for the safe release of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community, one week after the incident.

The prayer session, held on Sunday at Tawaliu Baptist Church, Maraban Kajuru, attracted Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and other parts of northern Nigeria, as families of the abducted worshippers continued to await news of their loved ones.

The victims, members of the Evangelical Church Winning All and the Cherubim and Seraphim churches, were abducted during Sunday services when armed men invaded Kurmin Wali community and forced congregants into surrounding forests. Although some of the worshippers later escaped, many remain in captivity.

Speaking at the gathering, the Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, the Rev. Joseph Hayab, urged churches to strengthen security measures around places of worship amid increasing attacks on religious centres.

Hayab called on churches to combine prayer with vigilance by putting in place basic internal security and monitoring arrangements that would enable worshippers to observe activities within and around church premises during services.

According to him, unrestricted access to worship centres without situational awareness exposes congregations to danger and makes them vulnerable to attacks.

He described the security situation in Kajuru as disturbing, noting that repeated attacks on communities and churches had become unacceptable and required urgent collective action.

“We have been praying and watching instead of watching and praying. The church must wake up,” Hayab said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, the 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 in addressing insecurity in the area.

Kaura condemned the abduction and criticised what he described as the initial denial of the incident by government authorities, saying it undermined the accounts of victims, families, clergy and eyewitnesses.

He traced insecurity in Kajuru to the 1980s, noting that violence escalated in

2017 and 2018 during the Kasuwan Magani crisis, 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 added that since 2019, no fewer than 11 pastors and their wives had been killed, while several others were 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, Kaura said persistent 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 secure the release of all abducted worshippers.

The prayer session was attended by the Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, the Rev. Caleb Ma’aji, as well as bishops and clergy from various Christian denominations. (The PUNCH)

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