After initial denials, the Nigeria Police Force has admitted that gunmen abducted 168 worshippers at Kurmin Wali, a remote community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Confirming the current development in a statement,Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Benjamin Hundeyin,said subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur.
He disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force therefore activated coordinated security operations, working closely with other security agencies, with a clear focus on locating and safely rescuing the victims and restoring calm to the area.
He quoted that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the full deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities.
He explained that these efforts include deployment of tactical units as well as intensified patrols already in place, targeted search-and-rescue operations, and proactive measures to protect lives and property
He expressed that the Force remains fully committed to the safety of all citizens and will continue to provide updates as developments unfold.
Shedding lights on the initial denial of the abduction, the Spokesman said after oreceiving the report, the Kaduna State Security Council was convened by the Governor.
During the meeting at the Government House, Kaduna, he said some individuals from the affected local government area disputed the report, which had earlier been confirmed by the Police, and described it as false.
He said this created uncertainty and reinforced the need for caution and thorough verification by the Police and other security agencies before making conclusive public statements on such a sensitive matter.
He added:”In this context, comments made by the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, during a media interaction were intended to prevent unnecessary panic while facts were being confirmed. Those remarks, which have since been widely misinterpreted, were not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected.”
Premium News recalls that the Kaduna State Police Commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, had earlier dismissed reports of the abduction of 172 people.
In a joint statement with local government officials, he described the reports as “mere falsehoods” spread by “conflict entrepreneurs” aiming to cause chaos and undermine the state’s relative peace.
He challenged anyone with evidence to provide names and particulars of the alleged victims, insisting that police visits to the sites found “no evidence of the attack.”
Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Dauda Madaki, also rejected the reports, saying investigations by the council and security agencies found no evidence of an attack or kidnapping. He said visits to the community and consultations with traditional rulers and youth leaders confirmed that no such incident occurred.
