“They Surrounded the Village”: Kaduna Residents Recount Mass Church Kidnapping

In a harrowing account from northern Nigeria’s Kaduna State, villagers are speaking out after armed gangs—locally known as “bandits”—stormed their community and abducted more than 170 Christian worshippers during Sunday morning services.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers surrounded the village around 10 a.m., entering churches while services were underway. Victims were reportedly beaten and forcibly taken, leaving families devastated and communities shaken.

“They took them from church on Sunday around 10 in the morning,” said one mother whose child was among those kidnapped.

 

This incident marks the latest in a disturbing wave of mass abductions across Nigeria, affecting both Christian and Muslim communities. The attackers, often operating in remote regions with limited security presence, have targeted schools, places of worship, and entire villages—leaving behind trauma and fear.

Local residents say the bandits arrived in large numbers, overwhelming any resistance and dragging worshippers from their pews. The scale and coordination of the attack suggest a growing boldness among armed groups operating in the region.

While the Nigerian government has pledged to combat insecurity, many communities—especially in the north—continue to live under the threat of violence, with little protection or recourse.