Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has organised a special prayer session for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community, one week after the incident.
The prayer session, held on Sunday at Tawaliu Baptist Church in Maraban Kajuru, drew Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and the wider northern region, alongside families of the abducted worshippers who continue to wait anxiously for their release.
The victims, members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the Cherubim and Seraphim churches, were abducted during Sunday services when armed men stormed Kurmin Wali community and forced congregants into nearby forests. Although a few of the abducted worshippers later escaped, many remain in captivity.
Speaking at the prayer gathering, the Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, urged churches to strengthen security and surveillance around places of worship in view of the rising threats against worship centres.
He said churches must complement prayers with vigilance by putting in place basic internal security and monitoring arrangements capable of detecting suspicious activities within and around church premises during services.
According to him, unrestricted access to worship centres without situational awareness exposes congregations to danger and makes them vulnerable to attacks.
Rev. Hayab described the security situation in Kajuru as deeply disturbing, noting that repeated attacks on communities and churches had reached an unacceptable level and required urgent collective action.
He warned that unless proactive measures were taken, churches would continue to suffer losses, stressing that faith must be accompanied by responsibility and preparedness.
“We have been praying and watching instead of watching and praying. The church must wake up,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, Rev. Enoch Kaura, said the prayer session was organised to seek divine intervention for the safe return of the abducted worshippers and to pray for wisdom for government officials and security agencies in tackling insecurity in the area.
Rev. Kaura condemned the abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali and criticised what he described as the initial denial of the incident by government authorities, saying it undermined the accounts of victims, families, clergy and eyewitnesses.
He traced the roots of insecurity in Kajuru to the 1980s, noting that the situation worsened in 2017 and 2018 during the Kasuwan Magani crisis, which culminated in the abduction and killing of the area’s paramount ruler.
According to him, the Kurmin Wali abduction was not an isolated incident, recalling previous attacks on Buda Church where a pastor and some members were abducted, as well as the killing of a church member in Ugakala Maro last year.
He said that since 2019, no fewer than 11 pastors and their wives had been killed, while several others had been abducted, forcing many communities to flee their homes.
While acknowledging that the administration of Governor Uba Sani had recorded relative peace in parts of Kajuru, Rev. Kaura said lingering insecurity continued to hinder residents from returning fully to normal life, particularly in harvesting their farm produce.
He called on the government and security agencies to intensify security operations in Kajuru and other vulnerable areas to prevent further attacks and ensure the rescue of all abducted worshippers.
The prayer session was attended by the Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, Rev. Caleb Bawa Ma’aji, as well as Bishop’s and Clergy from various Christian denominations.
