Police confirm mass abduction in Kaduna days after initial denial

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that an abduction incident occurred at Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following days of uncertainty, conflicting reports, and initial denials.

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, acknowledged that the incident which had sparked fear and anxiety among residents was initially disputed during a meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council convened by Governor Uba Sani.

“Subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur,” Hundeyin said.

The police explained that some residents of the affected area had dismissed earlier reports as false, prompting security agencies to conduct further verification.

The Force clarified that comments earlier made by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad which were widely interpreted as a denial were intended to prevent public panic while details were being confirmed. Subsequent checks by operational units and intelligence sources later confirmed the abduction.

In response, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of critical operational and intelligence resources to Kajuru and surrounding communities.

Tactical units have been dispatched, patrols intensified, and targeted search-and-rescue operations launched to locate and safely recover the victims while restoring calm to the area.

The police also urged the public and media to rely solely on official sources for verified information and avoid speculation that could compromise ongoing operations.

Reports had earlier claimed that scores of worshippers were abducted in the community. However, both the Kaduna State Police Command and the state government initially described the claims as “false.”

Commissioner Rabiu Muhammad challenged anyone with evidence of the incident to come forward, stating:

“Anyone who has evidence should come forward with the list of kidnapped persons and their particulars.”

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu, said he had engaged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the state level, as well as community leaders. According to him, the engagements indicated that the reports were “completely false.”

The Kurmin Wali incident is the latest in a series of mass abductions in parts of Nigeria, highlighting the persistent security challenges in the region.