Scores of worshipers from at least two churches in Nigeria have been kidnapped by armed gangs during Sunday services, Reuters reports.
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.
Sunday’s incident, that said BBC targeting both Christians and Muslims, marks the latest mass kidnapping in Nigeria’s long string of religiously fueled attacks. 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.
52 CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA KINAPPED BY SANDERS IN LATEST ATTACK: REPORT
People walk past a school in Nigeria on March 8, 2024, after mass kidnappings involving 250 students. (Haidar Umar/AFP via Getty Images)
Rev. John Hayab, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, based in the northern part of the country, told Reuters:
“I received information from the elders of the churches that 172 worshipers were kidnapped while nine escaped,” Hayab said.
Initial estimates from security services tend to be conservative, while community and religious leaders often report higher figures. In Nigeria, casualty and kidnapping numbers often vary widely in the days following mass kidnappings.
NIGERIA EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH BY 2025, SAYS REPORT
Security officers patrol an area in Janjala Village, Nigeria, on Friday, February 24, 2017, following the kidnapping and murder of several people. (Lekan Oyekanmi/AP Photo)
Police said troops and other security forces had been deployed to the area while efforts were underway to track down the kidnappers and secure the prisoners’ release, Reuters reported.
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.
CRASHERS ATTACK CHURCH IN NIGERIA, KILL TWO AND KIDN OTHERS
Nigeria was declared the epicenter of global Christian killings in 2025, according to the Open Doors World Watch List. The report notes that while Muslims are also frequently attacked, Christians are “disproportionately targeted,” with one in five African Christians facing severe persecution.
Woman in Benue State Christian refugee camp. The camp is inhabited by Christians fleeing anti-Christian violence. (Opened doors)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In November, 52 Catholic students, along with several staff members, were kidnapped by gunmen at St. Mary’s School in Nigeria, The Associated Press reported.
