The Kaduna State Government and police authorities have denied reports of a mass abduction of church worshippers in Kajuru Local Government Area, pushing back against claims by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that as many as 163 people were seized during a church service on Sunday.

Security agencies said preliminary assessments carried out in the affected communities found no evidence to substantiate reports of a large-scale kidnapping. Officials subsequently challenged CAN leaders and local residents to present verifiable details, including the identities of the alleged victims.

Enoch Kaura, CAN chairperson in Kajuru LGA, told Premium Times that armed men stormed a church during worship and abducted congregants en masse. He claimed an initial 172 people were taken, with nine later escaping. According to Kaura, the attackers blocked exits before forcing worshippers into nearby bushland. Despite official denials, he maintained that the incident occurred and said efforts were underway to compile a full list of those abducted for public disclosure.

Kaduna State Police Commissioner Muhammad Rabiu rejected the account, describing it as a fabrication being circulated by what he termed “conflict entrepreneurs.” Speaking after a State Security Council meeting, Rabiu publicly challenged CAN or any other party to provide a verified list of victims, complete with personal details. He warned that individuals spreading unverified claims risk legal action, stressing that false reports could undermine public order and security in the state.

The Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, also dismissed the reported abduction. He said security personnel were immediately deployed to Kurmin Wali following the claims but found no trace of an attack. Madaki added that he personally visited the alleged location and consulted the village head, Mai Dan Zaria, as well as local youth leaders, all of whom reportedly denied that any kidnapping had taken place. He suggested the reports may be an attempt to disrupt the relative calm currently enjoyed in the area.

Further backing the government’s position, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), said the state CAN chairman and other religious leaders had independently engaged with residents in the community and concluded that the circulating reports were unfounded.

The dispute unfolds amid persistent insecurity in parts of Kaduna State, where armed groups have carried out kidnappings targeting schools, villages, and religious institutions in recent years. Kajuru’s proximity to forested areas bordering Niger and Katsina states has made it vulnerable to criminal gangs who often use abductions to extract ransom payments, heightening public anxiety whenever such reports emerge. The conflicting accounts have left residents seeking clarity as authorities and community leaders continue to trade claims.