Kurmin Wali Attack And The Cost Of Official Denial

The mass abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on January 18, is one tragedy too many in Nigeria’s worsening security crisis. Yet, beyond the horror of 177 innocent citizens being seized from three churches during Sunday service, it was the initial official response that left an even more bitter aftertaste.

Bandits stormed the Cherubim and Seraphim Churches 1 and 2, as well as the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA). They carted away men, women, children, the elderly, and even a three-week-old baby. Entire families were taken. In one case, as many as 31 members of a single family were dragged into captivity. This was no covert crime, no shadowy allegation whispered in private. It was a brazen, daylight assault on places of worship.

Yet, when the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Northern Region raised the alarm, the reaction from key authorities was dismissive.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police,  Muhammad Rabiu, described the reports as “falsehood peddled by conflict entrepreneurs.” The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu, SAN, declared the report “completely false.”

The Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Dauda Madaki, echoed the same denial, claiming he found “no evidence” of any attack after a visit.

It took CAN releasing the complete list of the 177 abducted victims for these officials to retreat from denial and grudgingly acknowledge that the kidnapping had indeed occurred. Only then did assurances of rescue follow.

As a newspaper, we find this sequence of events deeply troubling. It smacks not merely of poor judgment, but of a dangerous instinct to suppress or spin reality in the face of grave national emergencies. Such behaviour erodes public trust and raises uncomfortable questions about the seriousness with which authorities treat citizens’ lives.

This episode recalls, with painful clarity, the initial mishandling of the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction in April 2014. Then, too, official doubt and dismissal in the early hours allowed terrorists precious time to disappear with their captives. Nearly 12 years later, about 100 of those girls remain unaccounted for. Nigeria cannot afford to keep relearning the same tragic lesson.

In cases of mass abduction, what happens in the first few hours is critical. Speed, coordination and credibility can mean the difference between rescue and prolonged captivity. Instead of mobilising immediately for hot pursuit, the police and local authorities in Kurmin Wali appeared more preoccupied with countering public reports than countering armed criminals.

One is compelled to ask: What kind of investigation led the police to conclude that such a public and large-scale abduction was false? Were detectives actually deployed to the affected churches? Did they speak meaningfully with residents? Or was this denial based on second-hand briefings, political pressure, or a misguided attempt at image management? If security agencies can miss or dismiss an atrocity of this scale, what confidence can Nigerians have in their ability to protect lives and property?

Adding to the gravity of the situation is the revelation by a church member, Jonathan Bonanaga, that the Kurmin Wali community had, only weeks earlier, paid a hefty ransom to secure the release of 21 people abducted by the same bandits.

This indicates a long-standing pattern of terror that authorities ought to have taken seriously rather than brushed aside. For an initial denial of such magnitude, the honourable course would be for those responsible for the misleading statements to resign or be relieved of their duties. Public office demands accountability, mainly when failures directly affect human lives.

We align ourselves with all Nigerians who have condemned the dismissive and insensitive communication by security and government officials in this case. Official statements during crises must reflect empathy, diligence and respect for victims and their families.

Beyond words, there must be better coordination among security agencies, quicker verification of community reports, and a genuinely robust national strategy against banditry and terrorism.

This incident also undermines Nigeria’s international standing. It complicates the federal government’s efforts to counter external pressure, including from the United States, over allegations of failure to protect vulnerable communities, particularly Christians. At a recent U.S.–Nigeria Working Group meeting in Abuja, the Kaduna abductions were cited as evidence of the urgent need for improved protection of at-risk populations.

Narrative management and foreign lobbyists cannot substitute for decisive action on the ground. Terrorists are emboldened not just by weak firepower but by weak responses. Denial, delay and propaganda only strengthen their hand.

The primary duty of the government is the security and welfare of the people. In Kurmin Wali and across Nigeria, that duty must be seen, felt and fulfilled. We therefore demand the immediate and safe release of all abducted persons, and a clear signal that the era of official denial in the face of national calamity will be a thing of the past.