The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has held a special prayer session for the safe release of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community, one week after the attack.
The solemn gathering, held on Sunday at Tawaliu Baptist Church, Maraban Kajuru, drew Christian leaders from across Kaduna State and other parts of northern Nigeria, alongside anxious families of the abducted victims.
The victims, members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the Cherubim and Seraphim churches, were kidnapped during Sunday services when armed men stormed Kurmin Wali and forced congregants into the surrounding forest. While some worshippers later escaped, many remain in captivity.
Addressing the congregation, the Chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Joseph Hayab, urged churches to combine prayer with vigilance in the face of growing insecurity targeting religious centres.
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"We have been praying and watching instead of watching and praying. The church must wake up," Hayab said.
He called on churches to strengthen internal security and monitoring systems during worship, warning that unrestricted access to church premises without situational awareness exposes congregations to danger.
"Unrestricted access to worship centres without situational awareness makes us vulnerable to attacks," he added.
Hayab described the security situation in Kajuru as "disturbing," lamenting the frequency of attacks on communities and churches in the area.
Similarly, the Chairman of CAN in Kajuru Local Government Area, Rev. Enoch Kaura, said the prayer session was convened to seek divine intervention for the safe return of the abducted worshippers and to pray for wisdom for government authorities and security agencies in addressing the crisis.
Kaura condemned the abduction and criticised what he called the initial denial of the incident by some government officials, saying such denials undermine the accounts of victims, clergy, and eyewitnesses.
Tracing the roots of Kajuru's insecurity, Kaura said violence in the area dates back to the 1980s but worsened during the 2017-2018 Kasuwan Magani crisis, which led to the abduction and killing of the area's paramount ruler.
He added that the Kurmin Wali abduction was part of a recurring pattern of violence.
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"This is not an isolated case. There were previous attacks on Buda Church where a pastor and some members were abducted, and a church member was killed in Ugakala Maro last year," Kaura said.
He revealed that since 2019, no fewer than 11 pastors and their wives have been killed, while several others were abducted, forcing many residents to abandon their homes.
While acknowledging that Governor Uba Sani's administration had recorded relative peace in some parts of Kajuru, Kaura noted that persistent insecurity continued to hinder residents from resuming normal life.
"People still find it difficult to harvest their farm produce due to fear of attacks," he said.
He appealed to government and security agencies to intensify operations in Kajuru and other vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks and ensure the safe return of all abducted victims.
The prayer session was attended by the Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, Rev. Caleb Ma'aji, as well as several bishops and clergy from different denominations.
