By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State recently held a special prayer session for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in the Kurmin Wali community, one week following the incident.
This prayer gathering took place on Sunday at the Tawaliu Baptist Church in Maraban Kajuru, uniting Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and the broader northern region.
Families of the kidnapped worshippers continue to await their loved ones’ return with bated breath.
The abducted individuals, members of the Evangelical Church Winning All and the Cherubim and Seraphim churches, were taken during Sunday services when armed assailants invaded the Kurmin Wali community, forcing congregants into nearby forests.
While a few victims managed to escape, many remain in captivity.
During the prayer session, Reverend Joseph John Hayab, Chairman of CAN for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, urged churches to enhance surveillance and security measures at places of worship in light of the increasing threats to these sanctuaries.
He emphasized the need for churches to combine prayer with vigilance, advocating for the implementation of basic internal security protocols that would allow congregations to monitor activities within and around worship locations during services.
Reverend Hayab cautioned that unrestricted access to church premises without awareness of the surrounding situation places worshippers in jeopardy, leaving them vulnerable to potential attacks.
He characterized the security landscape in Kajuru as deeply concerning, indicating that the frequency of assaults on communities and churches has reached an intolerable level, necessitating immediate collective action.
He warned that in the absence of proactive measures, churches would continue to face losses, stressing the need for faith to be accompanied by responsibility and preparedness.
“We have been praying and watching instead of watching and praying. The church must awaken,” Reverend Hayab asserted.
Reverend Enoch Kaura, Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, remarked that the prayer session was called to seek divine intervention for the abducted worshippers’ safe return and to pray for wisdom for government and security agencies in tackling the ongoing insecurity in the region.
He condemned the abduction incident in Kurmin Wali and criticized the initial denial of the event by government authorities, suggesting that it undermined the credibility of accounts provided by victims, families, clergy, and eyewitnesses.
Reverend Kaura traced the roots of insecurity in Kajuru back to the 1980s, noting that violence escalated during the crises of 2017 and 2018 in Kasuwan Magani, which led to the abduction and murder of the area’s paramount ruler.
He stressed that the Kurmin Wali abduction is part of a troubling pattern, recalling previous attacks such as the abduction of a pastor and other church members at Buda Church, and the murder of a church member last year in Ugakala Maro.
Since 2019, he reported that no fewer than eleven pastors and their wives have been killed, with numerous others abducted, prompting many communities to flee their homes.
While acknowledging the relative peace experienced in parts of Kajuru under Governor Uba Sani’s administration, Reverend Kaura pointed out that ongoing insecurity continues to disrupt residents’ ability to return to normal life, particularly in cultivating and harvesting crops.
He urged government and security agencies to ramp up operations in Kajuru and other vulnerable areas to avert further attacks and secure the release of all abducted worshippers.
The prayer session was attended by various dignitaries, including the Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, Reverend Caleb Bawa Ma’aji, bishops, and clergy from multiple denominations.
