Barely hours after Christian leaders in Kaduna State gathered in prayer for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted in Kajuru Local Government Area, suspected bandits struck again, kidnapping six residents in a late-night raid that has further underscored Nigeria’s deepening security crisis.
The latest abduction occurred on Saturday night in Unguwar Barkono, Mararaban Kajuru, Kufana Ward, an area residents stress is not a remote settlement but part of Kajuru’s populated core. Armed men reportedly stormed several homes, forcibly dragging victims away to an unknown location.
Steven Kefas, a resident, said the attack took place around 1:00 a.m., disputing narratives that violence is confined to isolated rural communities. “This happened right inside Kajuru,” he said, highlighting growing fears that no area remains safe.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the incident. Rev. Enoch Kaura, CAN Chairman in Kajuru, said the kidnappings occurred around 11:00 p.m., adding that the attackers fled with six residents despite neighbours raising an alarm.
The assault came just hours after a special prayer service held at Tawaliu Baptist Church for the return of 177 Christian worshippers abducted last week in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru LGA. The prayer session was attended by Kaduna State CAN Chairman, Rev. Caleb Ma’aji Bawa, alongside clergy from multiple denominations.
Addressing the gathering, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, CAN Chairman for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, warned that churches and communities had become increasingly vulnerable due to persistent security lapses. He urged congregations to strengthen internal safety measures, cautioning that unrestricted access to worship spaces now carries grave risks in Nigeria’s volatile security environment.
Rev. Kaura condemned the latest abductions and criticised what he described as a pattern of official denial following major security incidents. He called on authorities to urgently intensify military and police operations in Kajuru, stressing that repeated attacks have eroded public confidence in the state’s ability to protect lives.
The fresh kidnappings deepen anxieties already gripping Kaduna and neighbouring states, where mass abductions, killings and forced displacement have become routine. Just days earlier, bandits abducted a Baptist Church pastor, Daniel Bagama, and his three daughters in Chikun Local Government Area, while travellers were seized along the Maro–Kajuru axis in a separate attack.
Beyond Kaduna, similar patterns of violence persist across north-western Nigeria. In Katsina State, residents of Southern Maska in Funtua Local Government Area report ongoing attacks, killings and levies imposed by armed groups despite repeated peace agreements brokered by local authorities. Entire villages, residents say, are being emptied as families flee for safety.
Human rights observers warn that the continuing wave of kidnappings reflects not merely criminal activity but a broader failure of constitutional governance. Nigeria’s constitution places the protection of life and property at the core of the state’s responsibilities—an obligation critics argue is increasingly unmet as armed groups operate with near-impunity.
While the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has repeatedly assured Nigerians that intelligence-driven operations are underway to rescue abducted victims and dismantle criminal networks, many residents describe a widening gap between official statements and realities on the ground.
Security analysts note that the timing of the latest Kajuru abductions—coming immediately after public prayers and renewed appeals for protection—has intensified perceptions of state incapacity and raised concerns among international partners monitoring Nigeria’s human-rights record.
For families of the abducted, however, the crisis is not abstract. It is immediate, personal and ongoing—marked by fear, uncertainty and a growing sense that official assurances have yet to translate into meaningful protection or accountability.
