On January 18, 2026, armed gunmen attacked three churches in Kurmin Wali,  community of Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria, during Sunday worship and abducted dozens of worshippers, Lawmakers reported that 177 people were initially missing, and while 11 managed to escape, 168 remained unaccounted for days later.

The victims were taken from three different churches including Evangelical Church Winning all (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim church, and a Catholic church in what local leaders described as coordinated raids on religious services. No group is immidiately claimed responsibilty for the attacks. (Shiyaban, January 19, 2026).

Following the kidnappings, authorities and families have struggled to locate the hostages. Reports indicate that the abductors have been demanding 17 moteorcycles before they would begin negotiations for the hostage release, a tactic believed to help them replace transportation and evade security forces in forested areas. Meanwhile, Nigerian security have deployed teams to look for the kidnappers, though villagers have said the attackers continued moving freely through known bandit hideouts (Shibayan, January 22, 2026).

The church abductions have drawn criticism over the initial response by the authorities. Early denials by police that the attacks even occurred led to public frustration and concern among Christian advocacy groups, which say the lack of timely acknowledgement hurt trust and delayed urgency. Both local leaders and international observers have highlighted the broader security crisis in Northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently target remote communities and place for worship (Shibayan, Adetayo, Mohammed January 20th 2026).