Inside Kaduna church where the kidnapping incident took place
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have strongly condemned the reported abduction of worshippers from churches in Kaduna State, describing the incident as another painful reminder of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
In a post on his X handle, Obi said he had been informed that “yet again, at the weekend, about 172 worshippers were abducted from churches in Kaduna,” calling it “yet another unfortunate consequence of a nation where insecurity has been allowed to grow, unchecked and unchallenged in our everyday lives, as though it were normal.”
“This should not be,” Obi declared, lamenting the climate of fear gripping citizens across the country. He also raised concerns over conflicting accounts of the incident, noting, “Even with the government and police stating they are not aware of this incident, we must ask ourselves hard questions. Is this how we will continue? Can we keep waking up to news of mass abductions, disputed figures, and official denials while citizens live in fear?”
The former governor warned that, confirmed or not, the repeated reports of mass kidnappings point to a deeper national crisis. “Whether confirmed or contested, the frequency of such reports alone shows a greater crisis of safety, leadership, and unity,” he said, adding that other communities in Benue, Zamfara, Kano, Niger and Plateau had recently faced similar attacks.
“Nigeria is not at war, yet here we are again, counting victims with inconsistencies that surpass those of nations at war,” Obi stated. He accused the government of misplaced priorities, saying, “A government that can mobilise resources for waste, for propaganda, for foreign lobbyists, but cannot secure communities or protect its people has misplaced its priorities.”
Expressing solidarity with victims, Obi said, “To the people of Kaduna, you are not alone. We stand with you, and to the families whose loved ones were taken, we share in your pain. We pray and hope that those abducted will be found and returned safely, and that those injured in the course of this attack receive swift and full medical recovery.”
He added, “If the denials are true, we thank God Almighty. If untrue, we stand with the families of those affected and urge the relevant authorities to take swift action.” Obi concluded: “Nigeria deserves a government that treats human life as sacred, the time to confront this insecurity is now. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
Similarly, the PDP, in a statement titled “ _163 Kidnapped Worshippers: Tinubu Government Must End This Tragic Pattern,” extended_ “heartfelt sympathy to the families of the 163 worshippers kidnapped during Sunday service in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this agonizing period of uncertainty,” the party said, describing the incident as “a sad reminder of the normalisation of insecurity which has become the new reality of Nigerians due to the horrifying security failure under the Bola Tinubu-led administration.”
The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, cited the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kajuru Local Government Area, who reportedly said the attack “was carried out by bandits who arrived in large numbers, while the worshippers were in the middle of the service. 172 people were initially abducted, but nine of them escaped immediately after the attack.”
The opposition party warned that attacks on worshippers in churches and mosques “represent the inability of this government to protect the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of worship,” stressing that “Nigerians must not live in fear when going to churches or mosques to worship.”
Calling for urgent action, the PDP said, “We hereby call on the APC-led Federal Government to immediately commence comprehensive rescue operations to bring these kidnapped citizens home safely.”
It also urged the government “not to dramatize this sad situation the way they did with the Niger school kidnapping, where media optics prevailed over identity protection and safeguarding during the ‘rescue and return’ processes of the victims.”
The party further accused the administration of prioritising image over security.
“The President should concentrate on fixing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity instead of spending millions of taxpayers’ money on international image laundering campaigns to change narratives abroad. Insecurity cannot be solved by propaganda,” the statement said.
It added, “We are convinced that if state policing had been operational, these criminals may not have successfully operated with such impunity and taken this large number of people captive,” urging the Federal Government to “urgently double its efforts at combating banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.”
“The protection of citizens is government’s primary constitutional responsibility. Every Nigerian deserves to worship in safety,” the PDP stressed.
“The Tinubu administration must demonstrate that Nigerian lives matter through immediate action, not empty promises. The families of the 163 kidnap victims anxiously await their return.”
Both Obi and the PDP agreed that the Kaduna incident, whether involving 163 or 172 worshippers, underscores the urgent need for decisive leadership, credible rescue operations and a comprehensive strategy to end the cycle of mass abductions across Nigeria.
