Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Six months after bandits abducted over 170 worshippers during attacks on three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the Northern Christian Association (NCA), with support from Fountain of Life Church, Lagos, has donated and commissioned a borehole to the community, bringing much-needed relief to residents still recovering from the traumatic incident. The attack, which occurred on 18 January 2026, saw armed bandits storm three churches—one Catholic Church and two Cherubim and Seraphim churches—during Sunday services, abducting worshippers in what became one of the largest mass abductions in Kaduna State's recent history.
Speaking during the commissioning of the borehole on Saturday, 12 July 2026, Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, described the project as a practical demonstration of love and solidarity with a community that has endured both insecurity and years of neglect. He recalled that when members of the association first visited Kurmin Wali after the abduction, they discovered that the community lacked access to clean water, a problem that compounded the suffering of residents already reeling from the trauma of the mass abduction. "We are here because our brothers and sisters in Kurmin Wali were attacked some months ago, and many worshippers in three churches were taken away. Though they were later rescued and returned home, we noticed a major gap in the community: there was no basic amenity for people to enjoy," Hayab said.
Hayab explained that after sharing the community's plight with partners, Fountain of Life Church in Lagos, led by Senior Pastor Rev. Jimmy Odukoya, offered to support the intervention. "When the community informed us that access to water was one of their greatest needs, we immediately swung into action," he said. According to him, the borehole would significantly improve residents' living conditions, particularly for women and children who previously had to travel long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources. "The last time we came here, it was a period of sorrow and tears. Today, the women are smiling because they now have water to cook, bathe and carry out other domestic activities. This is the kind of practical love that communities in distress need," he added.
The attack on Kurmin Wali was initially met with denial from the Kaduna State Police Command, with Commissioner Muhammad Rabiu dismissing reports of a mass kidnapping. However, the police later reversed their position, confirming that the abduction did occur. A total of 177 worshippers were initially abducted, though some escaped in the days following the attack. The Kaduna State Government, under Governor Uba Sani, later confirmed the release of 183 abducted worshippers and received them at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House on 5 February 2026. Governor Sani also unveiled security and welfare measures for the victims and the community, promising to provide a hospital, a military base, and road construction.
However, six months after the attack, none of these government promises have materialised. Hayab used the occasion to call on the Kaduna State Government to fulfil its commitments to the community, noting that government officials had visited Kurmin Wali and made promises that remain unfulfilled. "This is a wake-up call. If promises are made to people who are already in pain, such promises should be fulfilled. We believe the government can still come and deliver on the commitments made to this community," he said.
The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan'azumi, expressed appreciation to the Northern Christian Association and Fountain of Life Church for identifying with the community at a difficult time. He lamented that residents had yet to see the government's promises implemented. "When the incident happened, the government promised us a hospital, a military base and road construction, but till now we have not seen any of them. We know the government has many responsibilities, but we are appealing for assistance because of our peculiar situation," Dan'azumi said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, Rev. Caleb Bawa Ma'aji, commended the NCA for its continuous humanitarian interventions across northern Nigeria, describing the donation of the borehole as a life-changing intervention. "Whoever gives water gives life. We thank God for using the NCA and its partners to put smiles on the faces of the people of Kurmin Wali," he said.
The Northern Christian Association, which has continued to provide support to victims of violence and insecurity across northern Nigeria through scholarships for children, empowerment programmes for women, and assistance to widows and orphans, said the needs of affected communities remain enormous. Hayab called on well-meaning Nigerians, faith-based organisations and philanthropists to support humanitarian interventions in vulnerable communities. "We cannot continue to complain that people have been neglected without doing little things to demonstrate love and compassion. With the little resources available to us, we are touching lives in different communities and restoring hope to those in distress," he said.
The borehole project comes at a time when faith-based organisations are increasingly stepping in to bridge severe service gaps left by state administrations across northern Nigeria. For a community still grappling with the psychological scars of mass violence, the provision of clean water represents both a biological necessity and a symbol of national solidarity.
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