The nightmare for families in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has deepened as bandits have issued a staggering ransom demand of ₦250 million ($166,000) and 20 motorcycles for the release of 166 worshippers abducted last Sunday.
The demand comes just days after the mass abduction on January 18, 2026, when armed men stormed three separate churches—Cherubim and Seraphim Church 1, Cherubim and Seraphim Church 2, and the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA)—during Sunday services, initially seizing 177 congregants. While 11 victims managed to escape in the chaos, the vast majority, including women, children, and family members of the village head, remain in captivity.
In a twisting narrative that highlights the audacity of the criminal gangs operating in the North-West, the bandits have framed their demands not just as ransom, but as “restitution.”
According to the Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, the abductors contacted the community via telephone on Monday night. They accused the villagers of cooperating with the military and stealing 17 to 20 of their motorcycles during a recent security operation in the area.
“The bandits called and said Kurmin Wali community must pay ₦250 million and provide 20 motorcycles before they will release the kidnapped worshippers,” Dan’azumi told reporters. “They claimed we stole their bikes and removed parts from them. They said until we replace their logistics, they will not even discuss the release of our people.”
The demand has plunged the community into despair. Sources in Kajuru revealed that the village is already financially exhausted, having barely recovered from a previous attack on January 11, where they were forced to pool together ₦23 million to secure the release of other kidnapped residents.
“We are farmers who can barely feed our families because we cannot go to our farms,” said a community youth leader who pleaded for anonymity. “Where do they expect us to find N250 million? The government says ‘don’t pay,’ but the government is not here when they come for us.”
The crisis has been compounded by a disjointed official response. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the Kaduna State Police Command initially issued statements downplaying the incident, a move that enraged local leaders and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). It was only late Tuesday that Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the “abduction” had occurred, describing the earlier confusion as a “measured response pending confirmation.”
The ransom demand also places the families on a collision course with the Federal Government’s hardened stance. Just last week, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, warned state governments and communities against entering into any form of negotiation or financial settlement with terrorists, arguing that such funds only serve to rearm the groups.
However, with 166 lives—including infants and the elderly—hanging in the balance and the bandits using the hostages as human shields to deter military airstrikes, the families of Kurmin Wali find cold comfort in federal policy.
As of Tuesday morning, negotiations remain deadlocked, with the bandits threatening to kill the captives if their “logistics” are not replaced within the week.
