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KADUNA (Nigeria), Jan 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Kaduna State Government and the Kaduna State Police Command have dismissed reports that over 100 worshippers were abducted during attacks on two churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state, describing the claims as false and misleading.
They spoke amid reports that suspected bandits, on Sunday, stormed Cherubim and Seraphim Church 1 and Cherubim and Seraphim Church 2 in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru LGA, and abducted worshippers during church services.
Earlier on Monday, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. John Hayab, had said, “I received a distress call yesterday from the CAN chairman in that area that an unspecified number of residents of Kurmin Wali in Kajuru LGA were abducted from Cherubim and Seraphim Church 1 and Cherubim and Seraphim Church 2,” he said.
According to him, the assailants stormed the churches while services were in progress, locked the gates, and forcefully marched worshippers into the bush.
“As of today, 163 worshippers are still in the hands of the terrorists,” Hayab said, adding that eight of the abducted persons later escaped.
Describing the incident as part of a broader attempt to instil fear and provoke religious tension, the CAN leader said such efforts would not succeed.
“This is very sad news, but it will not change our resolve to work with government and security agencies to bring this evil to a stop,” he said.
“Those who have made it their plan to create fear in our members and provoke us have failed woefully.”
Hayab called on the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to immediately intensify efforts to rescue the abducted worshippers.
“We are calling on government and security agencies to go out in full force to rescue our people,” he said.
“We will stand in solidarity and provide any useful information that will expose this evil.”
He added that security operatives had already commenced action in response to the report.
“Security officers are already on top of the matter. We commend them and urge that they try everything possible to rescue our brothers and sisters safe and unhurt in good time,” he said.
However, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, dismissed the reported abduction as a falsehood.
Addressing journalists after the State Security Council meeting at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Monday, Rabiu said the report was being peddled by “conflict entrepreneurs” bent on causing chaos in the state.
He challenged those spreading the report to provide the names and other particulars of the alleged victims.
The police commissioner warned rumour mongers to desist from spreading unverified claims, threatening that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on those attempting to derail the prevailing peace in Kaduna State.
Similarly, the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, said investigations carried out by the council and security agencies showed that no such attack occurred.
Madaki said he mobilised police officers and other security personnel to Kurmin Wali immediately after hearing about the alleged attack.
“We visited the church where the so-called kidnapping took place. There was no evidence of the attack,” he said.
“I asked the village head, Mai Dan Zaria, and he said that there was no such attack.
“I also called the youth leader of the area, Bernard Bona, who was interviewed by the pressmen that accompanied me, and he said that no such thing happened.”
Madaki challenged anyone claiming otherwise to provide the identities of the alleged abducted persons. — NNN-AGENCIES