Kaduna Police Commissioner Orders Phones Off During Church Visit as Abducted Worshipper Shares Harrowing Escape

In a dramatic and tense scene in Kaduna State, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, visited a church in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, following a violent terrorist attack that left the community reeling. The visit, however, came with strict instructions: all mobile phones were to be switched off, and recording—whether photos or videos—was strictly prohibited.

Sources on the ground told SaharaReporters that the heavily armed police commissioner arrived alongside security operatives, inspecting the church and surrounding areas affected by the attack. This comes after earlier denials by the same commissioner that any abduction of worshippers had taken place.

During the visit, an escaped victim bravely recounted his terrifying ordeal to the police. “I was carrying my daughter,” he said, describing how he managed to flee while others were captured. He revealed that after being gathered with other victims, the abductors forced them into the bush, beating them indiscriminately. Some of the captives had been kidnapped from other communities prior to the church attack, highlighting the scale of the terror.

The victim’s story, marked by visible bruises and injuries, paints a grim picture of the attack’s brutality. He described narrowly escaping by hiding in a house, while many of the abducted remain in captivity. Residents of Kurmin Wali expressed anger over repeated failures by security agencies to protect rural communities in Southern Kaduna, emphasizing the recurring threat of armed groups.

Activists who visited the church confirmed that abductions indeed took place, contrary to circulating government claims denying the incident. At least 11 worshippers managed to escape, corroborating local accounts of the attack. The village head further detailed that survivors bore severe injuries inflicted by the terrorists, underscoring the cruel nature of the assault.

This incident adds to a worrying pattern of violence in Kaduna State, where rural communities and places of worship are increasingly under threat. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has confirmed that 172 worshippers were abducted during the attack, with some later returning, leaving 163 still in captivity. Yet, the Kaduna State government has continued to downplay the incident, contradicting the accounts of both CAN and local eyewitnesses.

The tension between official narratives and ground realities raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of security measures in vulnerable communities. As families wait anxiously for the release of their loved ones, the call for accountability, transparency, and decisive action from authorities has never been louder.

The visit of the police commissioner, combined with his instructions to ban recordings, has drawn criticism from locals who fear that the true extent of the tragedy is being deliberately concealed. Meanwhile, the courage of victims who survived the attack and shared their stories provides critical insight into the escalating insecurity in Southern Kaduna.