Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A mounting crisis in northern Nigeria has deepened in the Kurmin Wali community of Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State, where armed bandits who kidnapped scores of Christian worshippers on January 18 are now demanding a staggering ₦28.9 million before they will engage in any ransom negotiations for the release of the captives. The unusual stipulation, centered on alleged “lost” motorcycles, has compounded fear and frustration among victims’ families and local leaders.
The mass abduction occurred during Sunday morning worship at multiple churches in the rural community. Witnesses say gunmen on motorcycles stormed congregations at three separate places of worship, including branches of the Evangelical Church Winning All and the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, forcing worshippers into the bush where they were marched away in large groups. In the confusion and chaos, an estimated 177 people were initially taken; later reports indicate that 11 managed to escape, leaving 166 people, including women and children, still held captive by their abductors. The captives are believed to be dispersed through the dense forest that characterizes the region, making rescue efforts challenging and perilous.
Rather than issuing an immediate ransom demand for the release of the captives, the bandits have told community negotiators that they must first be compensated for 17 motorcycles they claim were lost during recent military operations. According to villagers and local officials, the armed group has valued each bike at approximately ₦1.7 million, resulting in a total required payment of about ₦28.9 million before discussions can begin on the captives’ freedom. The bandits have also accused community members of tampering with the bikes, alleging that carburetors and spark plugs were removed before the vehicles went missing.
Traditional leaders from Kurmin Wali, including village head Ishaku Dan’azumi, have confirmed the bizarre precondition. Dan’azumi said the kidnappers communicated their demand through an intermediary negotiator, insisting that the stolen or lost motorcycles be returned or paid for before any ransom talks could take place. So far, the abductors have not specified how much they intend to charge for the actual release of the captives.
Survivors who escaped the initial onslaught recount harrowing experiences. Many described how the assailants moved with precision, shouting warnings to prevent worshippers from fleeing as they seized helpless congregants. Some captives reportedly escaped during the forced march to the hiding areas, taking advantage of terrain challenges to break away from their captors. Among the escapees was the village head himself, who fled with others, though members of his own family remain in captivity.
The consequences of the attack have rippled throughout Kurmin Wali. Residents who remain in the village speak of empty streets, shuttered shops and farms left untended as fear grips the community. Many families have fled, seeking refuge in neighboring settlements, unwilling to stay in a place they see as unsafe. Schools in and around the area have suspended operations indefinitely, and routine economic activity has virtually ground to a halt. Villagers say that even ordinary tasks like planting or harvesting crops have become too dangerous amid the prevailing insecurity.
This is not the first time Kurmin Wali has endured such violence. Community members recall a similar attack on January 11, when suspected armed militants abducted several residents. In that earlier incident, families were forced to pay ₦23 million in ransom before the captives were released. That traumatic experience, already fresh in the memories of villagers, has only heightened the anguish surrounding this latest mass kidnapping.
Local authorities, including the Kaduna State Government and its governor Uba Sani, have responded to the crisis with expressions of concern and assurances of action. Governor Sani visited Kurmin Wali under heavy security earlier in the week, offering condolences and pledging collaboration with military and intelligence agencies to secure the return of the abducted worshippers. He emphasized that government forces are working to bring the captives home safely and are coordinating with the military, police, Department of State Services, and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Despite these statements, families and community leaders have criticized what they describe as a slow and insufficient response. Earlier in the week, Kaduna State police and local officials had initially dismissed reports of the abduction, calling them false and challenging critics to present verified lists of victims. That denial sparked outrage among residents and advocacy groups, who accused security forces of downplaying the severity of the attack and failing to react promptly to a grave humanitarian crisis.
Rights organizations have also weighed in, urging immediate and thorough action to secure the hostages’ safe release. One human rights group condemned the mass abduction as emblematic of broader failures by Nigerian authorities to protect civilians from rampant violence and criminality, especially in remote rural areas where armed groups operate with relative impunity. It called for comprehensive investigations into the attacks and for authorities to demonstrate a clear strategy to prevent future occurrences.
The broader context of insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions underscores the challenges facing both residents and the government. Armed banditry, often involving kidnappings for ransom, has become an entrenched crisis. Vast, sparsely populated terrains with limited security presence provide fertile ground for criminal networks that terrorize communities, raid villages, and ambush vulnerable targets such as schools, places of worship and markets. These groups typically travel by motorcycle, leveraging mobility and knowledge of difficult terrain to evade security forces.
International attention has also focused on the escalating violence. Recent reports highlight concerns about the safety of religious communities and the Nigerian government’s capacity to respond effectively to such crises. Critics argue that the pattern of mass kidnappings reflects deeper structural issues in national security policy and implementation, with growing numbers of innocent civilians caught in a cycle of violence and extortion.
As families await news of their loved ones, the strange and costly condition imposed by the kidnappers — payment for allegedly lost motorcycles before even discussing ransom — remains a bitter symbol of the peril and unpredictability facing communities like Kurmin Wali. With prayers for the safe release of those held and mounting pressure on authorities to act decisively, the situation continues to unfold, leaving many in Nigeria and beyond watching with concern.
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