After blatantly denying it on air, the Nigerian police have finally confirmed and admitted to church worshippers being kidnapped in three different churches in a remote part of northern Kaduna.
The Nigerian police said that an earlier statement released by the Kaduna State commissioner, Mohammad Rabiu on Tuesday night had been “widely misinterpreted” by the general public.
Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hyundei has refused to give any numbers but confirmed that investigations done prove that worshippers were abducted from three churches during the weekend, and a search-and-rescue troop has been sent out.
According to him, the initial statement made by the commissioner of police denying the kidnap was done so as to prevent public unrest while investigations were ongoing.
However, following the police’s initial denial, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide–Nigeria (CSW-N), a human rights group, said the kidnap took place and accused the Nigerian police force of interfering with efforts being made by the group to independently verify the incident.
Reports gotten from the BBC stated that 177 worshippers were kidnapped, with 11 escaping, as gotten from local residents.

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An eyewitness said, “Some people tried to run, but they couldn’t because the armed men had surrounded the village. They gathered people together and later forced them to enter into the bush. ”.
Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian police force over the “desperate denial” of the kidnapping.
“Authorities must also take immediate and concrete measures to prevent rampant abductions that are gradually becoming the norm in Nigeria,” the group said.
Kidnapping has become a recurrent thing in the nation, with citizens living in fear and staying away from certain places at odd times of the day, and with a few going about their day hoping and expecting the worst.