Suspected terrorists who abducted at least 166 worshippers in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have raised their ransom demand to ₦250 million and 20 motorcycles.
The village head of Kurmin Wali, Mr. Ishaku Dan’azumi, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking on the worsening plight of the community following the mass abduction.
Dan’azumi said the attack occurred on January 18, 2026, when gunmen stormed Kurmin Wali village during a religious gathering, invading multiple churches and abducting men, women and youths indiscriminately.
He explained that the latest ransom demand was far beyond the capacity of the largely rural community, already grappling with repeated attacks, displacement and economic hardship.
“This is beyond what our people can afford. We are pleading with the government and security agencies to come to our aid and secure the release of our people,” the village head said.
Residents of Kajuru Local Government Area, located in southern Kaduna, have for years lived under persistent threats of banditry and kidnapping, with communities frequently targeted for mass abductions, killings and arson attacks.
The continued insecurity has forced many villagers to flee their homes, abandoning farmlands and livelihoods in search of safety, as attacks on rural communities intensify.
Community leaders are now calling on the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to urgently scale up rescue operations and strengthen security deployment to prevent further assaults on vulnerable areas.
Meanwhile, Reports had earlier reported that the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, visited one of the churches attacked by the terrorists in Kurmin Wali following the incident.
Sources said the police commissioner arrived at the scene with heavily armed operatives and instructed those present to switch off their mobile phones and refrain from recording videos or taking photographs during the visit.
During the inspection, the commissioner reportedly interacted with victims, including an injured worshipper who escaped from the abductors while they were being taken into the forest.
The victim, who sustained head injuries, narrated that he managed to flee while carrying his daughter after slipping into a nearby house and locking himself inside.
He explained that the attack happened suddenly during worship, adding that he was attending a service at a nearby ECWA church when the gunmen struck.
The visit came amid heightened tension in southern Kaduna, following conflicting statements by the police commissioner, who had earlier denied that worshippers were abducted during the attack.
