Kurmin Wali community in southern Kaduna has been thrown into panic following the mass abduction of 177 Christian worshippers, the second attack in a week.
On Sunday, gunmen attacked three churches in the community and whisked away more than 100 worshippers.
However, on Monday, the Kaduna State Government, police command and Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area dismissed the report as falsehood after Chairman, Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab, confirmed the incident to journalists in Kaduna.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, however, confirmed the abductions late Tuesday on X, saying earlier comments by the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, CP Muhammad Rabiu, were “were not denials of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected.”
According to Punch, the criminals demanded the return of 17 motorcycles they allegedly lost during recent military operations as a condition for the release of the victims with each bike worth around N1.7m.