Nigerian Church Kidnappings: Abductions, Rescues, and Demands

A church raid in Kurmin Wali, Nigeria, resulted in the abduction of over 160 people, with 11 managing to escape. The attackers, known as 'bandits,' used violence, including hitting a 60-year-old woman on the head with a rifle. The incident is part of a wider security crisis in Nigeria, with kidnapping for ransom becoming increasingly common. The local community is traumatized, and authorities have faced criticism for their initial denial of the incident and attempts to suppress information. The Kaduna state governor has pledged to establish a military base, hospital, and road in the area and provide relief measures for affected residents.

The Nigerian military has rescued 62 hostages and killed 2 militants in two separate operations in the northwestern states of Zamfara and Kebbi/Sokoto. The operations came after over 160 worshippers were kidnapped from two churches in Kaduna state on Sunday by armed gangs. The kidnappings are part of a larger trend of mass attacks by armed groups, particularly Islamist militants, targeting villages, schools, and places of worship in Nigeria. The military's actions are seen as a response to the growing insecurity in the region.

Nigerian bandits who kidnapped over 150 churchgoers are demanding 17 motorbikes, valued at around $1,000 each, as a condition to begin negotiations for their release. The kidnappers raided three churches in Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria, on Sunday, seizing 177 people, of whom 11 escaped. The abductors, believed to be among the rogue gangs that often carry out kidnappings for ransoms in remote areas, use motorbikes to navigate the vast Nigerian forest and evade security forces. The Nigerian security forces have deployed tactical teams to search for the kidnappers, and the Kaduna Governor has assured that the state is working closely with security agencies to rescue the hostages.