All 183 worshippers abducted from Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have regained their freedom, 18 days after they were kidnapped by bandits during a church service on January 18.
The rescued victims were received on Thursday by Governor Uba Sani at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.
Welcoming the worshippers alongside heads of security agencies, senior state government officials and community leaders, the governor described the occasion as “a day of joy for Kaduna State.”
He said the safe return of all the abducted worshippers justified the quiet but determined efforts of the state government and security agencies.
Governor Sani described the abduction as a shock, especially after more than two years of relative peace achieved through sustained collaboration between the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to safeguard lives and property.
Following the incident, he said the state government immediately mobilised all relevant security agencies and stakeholders with a single objective: ensuring the safe rescue of every victim.
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu, noting that the president personally monitored developments from the outset, consistently expressing concern and offering leadership support. He also praised the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for working closely with the state to coordinate the rescue operation.
Governor Sani further lauded the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, as well as the Nigerian Army, the Police and other security agencies, for what he described as exceptional inter-agency collaboration.
“For us in Kaduna, even one abducted person is unacceptable. That is why we refused to politicise the incident. Our focus was to ensure that everyone returned alive,” he said.
Providing a breakdown, the governor disclosed that 183 people were initially abducted. Eleven were released earlier and hospitalised, 83 regained their freedom days later, while the remaining 89 were rescued on Wednesday.
“Today, we would not be here if even one person was still missing. I can state categorically that all those abducted have returned,” he said.
Governor Sani also revealed that he had requested the establishment of a military base along the Kajuru–Kachia axis, particularly around the Rijana area on the Kaduna–Abuja corridor, to strengthen security in the region. He said President Tinubu had already assured him that the request would be approved.
The governor added that the state government had begun construction of an access road linking Kurmin Wali to the main road, with plans underway to build a hospital and a skills acquisition centre for the community.
