The worshippers were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, at about 9am, during Sunday church service. They spent nearly two weeks in captivity before security operatives secured their release on Thursday.
Survivors of the mass abduction of worshippers from churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have narrated chilling accounts of torture, starvation and inhuman treatment while held by bandits in the forest.
The worshippers were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, at about 9am, during Sunday church service. They spent nearly two weeks in captivity before security operatives secured their release on Thursday.
Speaking after their rescue, several victims said they were treated “like animals” by their captors, subjected to beatings, forced marches and extreme hunger.
One of the victims, Hosea Madami, told Daily Trust that the abductors constantly assaulted them and barely gave them food.
“We suffered a lot in the forest. They beat me on my head and hands. They fed us like dogs, giving us very little food in our hands. There was no salt, so the food had no taste,” he said.
Madami disclosed that the captives were forced to trek for days through the forest under brutal conditions.
“We spent almost six days walking in the forest. They kept beating us with sticks. Truly, we suffered greatly,” he added.
Another survivor, Rebecca Josiah, said hunger was one of the worst forms of torture they endured.
“I ate only four times in the two weeks we spent in the forest. They gave us kunu, and sometimes tuwo, in our hands,” she said.
She explained that even eating was degrading.
“If the food was too hot, you had to pour it into your clothes. Small children were crying constantly because of hunger,” she said.
Josiah added that the abductees were forced to walk barefoot for days. “We walked for days in the forest without shoes. My feet became swollen, and I stepped on thorns,” she said.
Another victim, Philomena Jonathan, said the men were routinely beaten, while food was rationed to near starvation levels.
A woman who spoke on condition of anonymity said the captives were not allowed to bathe throughout their ordeal.
“We slept near a river, but we were not allowed to bathe at all,” she said.
She added that any sign of weakness attracted punishment.
“If you coughed, they beat you, especially the men. When children cried too much, they threatened to kill them if they didn’t stop.”
A pregnant victim, Theresa Irimiya, said she was spared beatings because of her condition and was released earlier with small children.
“They didn’t beat me because I was pregnant. Later, they told me to go home with the small children,” she said.
An elderly woman said she narrowly escaped abduction by hiding in the bush for days.
“When they came, I hid in the forest because I was afraid. After many days, I came out and ran to another settlement,” she said.
A community leader, who spoke anonymously, said the release of the abductees happened late at night after suspicious movement of heavy-duty vehicles near Maro town.
“Between 11pm and midnight, we saw heavy vehicles entering the forest. Around 1am to 2am, they returned with the abducted people,” he said.
It remains unclear whether ransom was paid or whether the motorcycles reportedly demanded by the abductors were handed over.
Earlier reports indicated that 177 worshippers were initially abducted, with 11 escaping on the day of the attack. About 80 others, mostly children, reportedly escaped and were later found hiding in forest settlements.
Confirming the development, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani announced that all 183 abducted persons had been rescued.
“Today, I can say without contradiction that all those abducted from Kurmin Wali have returned,” the governor said.
He disclosed that 11 victims were released earlier, 83 returned days later, while the final 89 were rescued on Thursday.
Sani said President Bola Tinubu was personally involved in the rescue efforts and assured that a military base would be established in the Kajuru–Kachia axis, long plagued by bandit attacks.
The governor added that the rescued victims would undergo medical and psychosocial treatment before returning home.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed relief over the release, describing it as a moment of healing after what it called a “tragic and traumatic” incident.