RismadarVoice Reporters
January 21, 2026
Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Joseph Hayab has criticised the initial denial by security authorities over the abduction of worshippers from churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, calling on the government to urgently rescue the victims and restore public confidence.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, Hayab said engagements with security agencies had since confirmed that worshippers were indeed abducted during church services.
“Over an hour ago, we were all on the same page. This unfortunate incident happened. Innocent Nigerians were taken away from their church. There is no longer debate about it.” He said.
Hayab added that although public acknowledgment was initially lacking, security authorities had privately admitted the incident to Christian leaders.
“If they have not acknowledged it publicly, they have acknowledged it to us as Christian leaders. They have given us a promise that they will go after them,” Hayab said.
Confusion Over Reports:
The incident was initially shrouded in confusion, with local sources reporting that gunmen attacked three churches and abducted dozens of worshippers.
However, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, had earlier said security operatives found no evidence of an attack at the time.
Subsequent verification by operational units and intelligence sources at the national level later confirmed that an abduction did occur at Kurmin Wali, Kajuru LGA.
This led to the deployment of tactical units and coordinated search-and-rescue operations in the area.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, subsequently ordered the full deployment of operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities to rescue the victims and restore calm.
CAN Relied on Grassroots Network:
Hayab said CAN relied on its extensive grassroots communication network to gather information about the incident.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria is highly connected. We operate from the national level to the region, the states, the local governments, and down to the ward level. Our system of communication makes it easy to know when, where, and how things happen,” he said.
According to him, he received the first alert at 2:56pm on Sunday, even though the Kaduna State CAN chairman was out of the country.
“The message came to my phone saying unverified numbers of worshippers were taken from churches in Cherebun and Serebun I and II, also known as Bishara and Haske, as well as a nearby ECWA church,” he said.
“They later sent another message that gunmen shut the entire church, lined worshippers up, and marched them into the bush.”
Hayab explained that fear, displacement, and insecurity in the community initially made it difficult to verify the exact number of abducted persons.
“Because of fear at the time, nobody could immediately verify who and how many were taken. That was why we were careful with numbers,” he said.
Anger Over Denial:
The CAN leader expressed strong displeasure over the initial denial by security agencies, describing it as unfortunate and damaging.
“The moment the incident happened, security agencies were informed. That is why we were worried and angry, how could they later come out to deny it? That denial was the most unfortunate statement,” he said.
“When the news broke, calls were coming from everywhere. We were not ready to speak because we wanted to be sure. But imagine the families of those kidnapped hearing someone say it never happened,” Hayab said, describing the situation as a test of integrity and honesty.
While figures such as 163 abducted worshippers circulated publicly, Hayab said CAN deliberately avoided sensationalism.
“A lot of people were kidnapped, that is the truth. Some escaped and returned, which affected the numbers. What we told the government was: let us not debate figures. Let us focus on the fact that people were taken in good numbers,” he said.
Call for Action, Not Debate:
Hayab urged authorities to focus on decisive action rather than public disputes.
“What Nigerians want is assurance and action. If security agencies had simply acknowledged it and said, ‘We will go after them,’ Nigerians would have applauded,” he said.
He described the perpetrators as terrorists, citing intelligence reports of planned attacks on Christian communities in Kaduna, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and other vulnerable states.
“Any group that takes up arms against Nigeria is a terrorist group. I align with the President and call those who took worshippers from church terrorists,” Hayab said.
Appeal for Unity:
The CAN chairman also called for national unity in tackling insecurity.
“We don’t want Christian communities safe while others are not. If my neighbour is not safe, I am not safe. We must win the trust of citizens, carry them along, and correct lapses. That is how Nigeria will be safe,” he said.
He appealed to the authorities to act swiftly to rescue the abducted worshippers and reassure citizens of their safety.
