Nigeria continues to grapple with escalating abductions and violence, prompting renewed international concern and calls for urgent government action.
Armed gunmen abducted between 160 and 177 worshippers (figures vary across reports) from multiple churches in the Kaura and Kauru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State during Sunday services on January 19, 2026. The attackers stormed at least three churches, firing sporadically before herding victims mostly women and children into nearby forests.
Kaduna State Police Command initially denied the incident, describing early reports as “fake news.” However, following pressure from local church leaders, eyewitness accounts, and video evidence circulated online, the command later confirmed the abductions and stated that security forces had been mobilised to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Christian leaders and civil society groups described the attack as part of a “targeted campaign against Christians” in the region, with several victims reportedly taken from Sunday school classes and choir rehearsals.
The United States Embassy in Nigeria issued a strong statement on January 20, 2026, urging the Nigerian government to “intensify protection for Christian communities and all vulnerable groups,” and calling for swift rescue operations and accountability for perpetrators.
In a separate incident on the same day, seven people were killed when gunmen attacked workers at an informal mining site in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. The assailants opened fire indiscriminately before fleeing with unspecified items.
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Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the killings, describing them as “barbaric and unacceptable.” He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence in rural communities and mining areas, where clashes between herders, farmers, and criminal gangs have claimed hundreds of lives in recent years.
“These attacks are not isolated; they are part of a pattern of terror designed to displace communities and seize resources. We will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice,” Governor Mutfwang said in a televised address.
Security analysts note that both incidents highlight the persistent failure of intelligence-led operations and community policing in vulnerable areas, despite repeated military and police deployments.
The Kaduna abductions are among the largest single incidents targeting churchgoers in recent months, while the Plateau attack underscores ongoing insecurity in mining corridors.
This is a developing story. No group has claimed responsibility for either attack at the time of this report.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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