Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has acknowledged that more than 100 church worshippers were abducted in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru LGA of Kaduna State, a day after initially dismissing reports of the incident.
Gatekeepers News reports that gunmen had attacked three churches in the community on Sunday, carting away about 167 worshippers during services. The incident triggered widespread concern and condemnation, particularly from religious groups and human rights organisations.
On Monday, however, the Kaduna State Police Command publicly denied the abductions, describing the reports as a fabrication by conflict entrepreneurs
bent on destabilising the state and disrupting what it called relative peace.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kaduna, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, challenged those circulating the reports to produce names and details of the alleged victims, insisting that there was no official record of such an incident at the time.
The denial drew sharp reactions, especially from Christian Solidarity Worldwide-Nigeria (CSW-N), which maintained that the abductions did occur. The human rights group accused security operatives of blocking attempts to independently verify the situation, alleging that its team was prevented from accessing Kurmin Wali during a fact-finding mission despite presenting valid identification.
Amid the controversy, the police headquarters in Abuja issued a fresh statement on Tuesday clarifying its position. Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the earlier confusion stemmed from deliberations at a Kaduna State Security Council meeting convened by Governor Uba Sani.
According to Hundeyin, some representatives from Kajuru LGA at the meeting disputed the abduction reports and described them as false, which informed the initial position taken by the police command.
He explained that the remarks made by the Commissioner of Police during his media interaction were intended to calm public anxiety. At the same time, investigations were ongoing, not to outrightly deny the incident.
According to the police, subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur
Following the confirmation, Hundeyin disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical units and intelligence assets to Kajuru and adjoining communities to respond to the situation.
He said the measures include enhanced patrols, coordinated search-and-rescue operations and proactive steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property, noting that security presence has been reinforced in the affected areas.
Hundeyin urged members of the public and the media to rely on official police statements for accurate information and to avoid speculation capable of undermining rescue efforts and security operations.
He added that the police would continue to provide updates as investigations and rescue operations progress.
