Gunmen Armed with Sophisticated Weapons Abduct Dozens from Nigerian Churches

Armed gangs have abducted more than 160 worshippers from at least two churches in Nigeria during Sunday services, according to a senior church leader, marking the latest in a series of mass kidnappings plaguing the country.

The attack occurred around 11:25 a.m. Sunday in the village of Kurmin Wali in Kaduna state’s Afogo ward, where gunmen armed with “sophisticated weapons” stormed the churches, according to police reports. While authorities have provided conservative estimates that dozens were taken captive, Reverend John Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern region, told Reuters that community reports indicated much higher numbers.

“Information came to me from the elders of the churches that 172 worshipers were abducted while nine escaped,” Hayab said.

Such discrepancies in victim counts are common in Nigeria, where official figures from security agencies often differ significantly from those provided by community and religious leaders in the immediate aftermath of attacks.

Police officials stated that security forces have been deployed to the area, with operations underway to track the kidnappers and secure the release of those abducted. The BBC reported that the attack targeted both Christians and Muslims, reflecting the complex religious dynamics in the region.

The incident represents a continuation of Nigeria’s troubling pattern of mass abductions, particularly in the country’s northern and central regions. Muslim Fulani militants frequently carry out such attacks against Christian communities, using ransom payments to financially devastate these groups while funding their operations.

Nigeria has emerged as one of the world’s most dangerous places for Christians in recent years. According to the Open Doors World Watch List, Nigeria was identified as the epicenter of global killings of Christians in 2023. While Muslims also face violence in the country, the report noted that Christians have been “disproportionately targeted,” with approximately one in five African Christians experiencing high levels of persecution.

Mass kidnappings have become increasingly common throughout Nigeria, with armed gangs and Islamist militants operating from forest hideouts to target vulnerable communities. Schools, villages, and places of worship have all become frequent targets in a country struggling to contain widespread insecurity.

The financial toll of these kidnappings is substantial. In April, the Evangelical Church Winning All, a major West African Christian denomination, reportedly paid approximately $205,000 in ransom to secure the release of about 50 members who had been kidnapped in Kaduna, according to Nigerian lawyer Jabez Musa.

Just months ago, in November, another high-profile kidnapping saw 52 Catholic students and several staff members abducted by gunmen from St. Mary’s School in Nigeria, as reported by The Associated Press.

These repeated attacks highlight the ongoing security challenges facing Africa’s most populous nation. The Nigerian government continues to struggle with containing armed groups operating across vast, often remote territories, while religious and ethnic tensions further complicate efforts to protect vulnerable communities.

For residents in regions like Kaduna state, the persistent threat of kidnapping has created an atmosphere of fear that permeates daily life, particularly for religious communities that often find themselves specifically targeted.

As security forces work to locate those most recently abducted, the incident underscores the urgent need for more effective strategies to address the kidnapping crisis that has become an all-too-common feature of Nigerian life.