Persecution Watch: Gunmen Kidnap Over 160 Christians in Multiple Church Raids In Nigeria

Nigeria: Gunmen Kidnap Over 160 Christians in Multiple Church Raids

Mary Chastain

Gunmen attacked two churches in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, kidnapping over 160 people in the twin attacks.

I’m still trying to get information. Reuters said two churches, while ABC News reported three churches.

The police said the attackers had “sophisticated weapons” on Sunday morning in “Kurmin Wali, a forest community in Afogo ward,” located in the Kajuru area.

Usman Danlami Stingo, a lawmaker representing the area, announced the attacks happened “at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a church belonging to the denomination Cherubim and Seraphim, and a Catholic church.”

From Reuters:

A police spokesperson said the area was remote and difficult to reach due to bad roads, making it challenging to obtain reliable information in the immediate aftermath of such attacks.

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern part of the country, Reverend John Hayab, told Reuters by phone that 172 worshippers were kidnapped, and that nine later escaped, leaving 163 still held.

Police said troops and other security agencies had been deployed to the area and that efforts were under way to track the abductors and rescue the captives.

You know, I wonder how many kidnappings and attacks are not reported because the churches and villages are located in rural areas.

A surge of these attacks have happened in northern Nigeria where many militant and radical Islamic groups have gained ground:

• November 22, 2025: Update: Gunmen Kidnap Over 300 Students From Nigeria Catholic School
• November 18, 2025: Gunmen Abduct 25 Girls From School in Nigeria
• April 16, 2025: Over 50 Christians Slaughtered in Nigeria on Palm Sunday

In early November, President Donald Trump told the Pentagon to prepare for action if Nigeria fails to stop the massacre of Christians.

True to his word, Trump launched strikes on ISIS terrorists on December 26.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Nigeria provided intelligence to the U.S. for the attack. President Bola Tinubu gave Trump permission to launch the strikes.