The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the abduction of more than 100 worshippers from the Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The confirmation came on Tuesday, a day after the Kaduna State Police Command dismissed reports of the incident as false.
Gunmen attacked three churches in the community on Sunday, abducting about 167 worshippers. On Monday, the commissioner of police in Kaduna State, Muhammad Rabiu, told journalists in Kaduna that there was no record of such abductions and challenged those making the claims to provide details of the victims.
Following the police denial, Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria, a human rights group, said the abductions did occur and accused security operatives of preventing its team from accessing the area during a fact-finding visit. The group said its members were blocked despite presenting identification.
Also Read: Kaduna police deny mass abduction of worshippers in Kajuru
In a statement on Tuesday, the force’s public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said subsequent verification by operational units and intelligence sources confirmed the incident. He said the inspector general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered the deployment of tactical units and intelligence assets to Kajuru and nearby communities to intensify patrols and conduct search and rescue operations, adding that the police would continue to provide updates.
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