Organisation Of African Churches Begins Prayers For Abducted Church Members In Kaduna
- The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) began a three-day prayer session for the safe release of the abducted members in Kaduna
- At least 177 members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Iburu District, Kajuru LGA, Kaduna, were abducted during a bandit raid on Sunday
- The Kaduna state Governor, Uba Sani, visited the community and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the protection and safe return of abducted citizens
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) has commenced a three-day prayer session for members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Kaduna who were abducted by bandits during last Sunday’s service.
Legit.ng reports that at least 177 church members were kidnapped from two branches of the church in Iburu District, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, during a raid on the community.
Source: UGC
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed on Tuesday that the abduction occurred while worshippers were attending church service.
Reacting to the incident, OAIC Regional President, Elder Israel Akinadewo, FCA, PhD, announced a three-day prayer for the safe release of the abducted members.
He said:
“Let us embark on three days of prayer from today (Thursday) to Saturday, with special Altar prayer on Sunday, for God to intervene in this matter."
Our God hears prayer, and it is our duty to call upon Him [Jeremiah 33:3]. May the Lord bless us as we stand in the gap for our brethren,” Akinadewo said in a statement.
Kaduna gov visits community
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, visited the Kurmin Wali community on Wednesday to commiserate with the residents over the unfortunate and painful incident.
He assured the people that the state government was fully committed to ensuring the safe return of all abducted persons.
Governor Sani emphasised that the Kaduna State Government places a premium on human life, noting that the protection of lives and property remains a foremost responsibility of his administration.
The governor’s visit came amid intensified collaboration between state security agencies and the military to rescue the abducted worshippers and restore security in the affected areas.
He also promised that the Kaduna State Government would foot the medical bills of residents who sustained injuries during the attack.
Source: Twitter
Military base, road, and healthcare centre announced
As part of long-term security and development measures, Governor Sani said he would liaise with the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, to facilitate the establishment of a military base in Kurmin Wali, given its proximity to known kidnapping and banditry hotspots.
He noted that while insecurity along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway has reduced, criminal elements have shifted operations into rural communities, adding that Kurmin Wali is close to Rijana town, one of the epicentres of banditry in the state.
The governor also pledged that the state government would construct the access road linking Kurmin Wali to the main highway to improve security response and ease of movement. He added that a primary healthcare centre would also be built in the community.
Bandits demand N29m deposit
Legit.ng earlier reported that armed bandits have demanded N28.9m deposit for 17 motorcycles they allegedly lost during recent military operations as a condition for the release of the worshippers from two churches in Kaduna State.
The village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, said the terrorists insisted that the missing motorcycles must be returned before the kidnapped worshippers could regain their freedom.
He disclosed that the mass abduction was linked to the ongoing military offensive against bandit camps in parts of Kajuru Local Government Area.
Source: Legit.ng
