Gunmen abduct over 150 worshippers from 3 churches in Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria — Over 150 worshippers were abducted in a series of coordinated attacks on three churches in northwest Nigeria, as reported by a state lawmaker to The Associated Press on Monday.
The attacks took place on Sunday in Kurmin Wali, a community in the Kajuru area of Kaduna state, during services at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim church, and a Catholic church, according to Usman Danlami Stingo, a lawmaker representing the area.
Stingo stated, “As of yesterday, 177 people were missing, and 11 have returned. This leaves us with 168 individuals still unaccounted for.”
Authorities in Kaduna state have yet to provide a statement on the incident.
No specific group has claimed responsibility for the abductions. Such attacks are unfortunately not uncommon in Nigeria, where various criminal and religious factions target vulnerable communities with limited security measures.
The northern region of the country has been particularly impacted by these violent incidents.
Recent attacks on churches have led to accusations of Christian persecution by U.S. President Donald Trump and some American legislators. In response, the U.S. government conducted military operations in Sokoto on December 25, reportedly targeting a faction of the Islamic State group in the area.
Despite the escalating security challenges in Nigeria, the government has dismissed claims of a “Christian genocide” taking place in the country.
