The Nigerian military said on Wednesday that 62 hostages had been rescued and two militants killed in a pair of operations against armed groups, a report said.
The development comes after more than 160 worshipers were kidnapped by gangs from two churches in Nigeria on Sunday. It is unclear whether any of the worshipers were among the rescued hostages.
Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, an army spokesman, told Reuters that Nigerian troops invaded a location in the northwestern state of Zamfara after receiving tips that prisoners were being held there.
The 62 rescued hostages are now in safe custody and are being reunited with their families, Reuters reported, citing the military.
Gunmen kidnap dozens of worshipers from several Nigerian churches
Nigerian soldiers travel in pickup trucks during training at a military base in Borno state, Nigeria, July 5, 2025. (Joris Bolomey/AFP via Getty Images)
In a separate operation, Nigerian soldiers ambushed militants in the border area between Kebbi and Sokoto states, Osoba added.
Sunday’s church kidnapping incident, which the BBC said targeted both Christians and Muslims, marks the latest mass kidnapping in Nigeria’s long string of religiously fueled attacks.
Nigeria has seen a dramatic increase in mass attacks by armed gangs, especially Islamic militants, who often operate from forest enclaves and target villages, schools and places of worship.
NIGERIA EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH BY 2025, SAYS REPORT
The Haske Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Nigeria’s Kaduna state is pictured on January 20, 2026, after a weekend attack by gunmen and kidnappings of worshippers. (Nuhu Gwamna/Reuters)
Islamic Fulani militants regularly carry out violence in northern and central parts of Nigeria against bankrupt Christian communities while receiving ransoms.
The Kaduna State Police said gunmen armed with “sophisticated weapons” attacked two churches in Kurmin Wali village in Afogo district at around 11.25am on Sunday, Reuters reported.
An exterior view of the ECWA Church following a recent attack by gunmen in which worshipers were kidnapped in Nigeria’s Kaduna State. (Nuhu Gwamna/Reuters)
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While the Kaduna State Police on Monday reportedly cited conservative figures and said dozens were being held captive as investigations are still at an early stage, a senior church leader noted that more than 160 worshipers were abducted by gunmen over the weekend.
