On Sunday, gunmen attacked three churches in Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State and whisked away more than 177 worshippers, with 11 managing to escape, while 166 are still in captivity. Hooker said recent attacks showed that despite reported security operations, Christian communities in parts of northern Nigeria remained dangerously exposed. “However, we are concerned about recent reports that gunmen kidnapped more than 170 Christians in Kaduna state on January 18. Despite initial denials by the Kaduna State Government and the police, security agencies later confirmed the abduction, fuelling public outrage and renewed questions about the effectiveness of early-warning systems and rapid-response mechanisms in the state. “A Forest Guard that excludes people who live in and understand forest communities will fall short of its intended impact,” the statement added.

Source: Punch January 23, 2026 06:36 UTC