U.S. Congressman has reacted strongly to reports that more than 100 Christian worshippers were abducted from church services in Kaduna State, amplifying international scrutiny on Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to reports from Sahara Reporters, suspected bandits stormed several churches in the Kurmin Wali area of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, on Sunday during ongoing services. Local Christian leaders said around 172 worshippers were initially seized and at least 163 remain unaccounted for.
Expressing deep concern, U.S. Representative Riley M. Moore, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, took to his social media platform X to condemn the violence and call for prayer and global attention. In previous remarks on attacks in Nigeria, Moore has labeled similar kidnappings and killings “horrific” and urged stronger protection for Christian communities facing rising insecurity.
“The reported abduction of innocent worshippers is heartbreaking. We must stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ and urge swift action to secure their release and protect religious freedom,” Moore wrote on X.
However, as of Monday, Kaduna State authorities have disputed claims that more than 100 worshippers were kidnapped, calling the reports falsehoods and rumour-mongering. The Kaduna police commissioner and local officials say they found no evidence of such an attack after visiting the reported sites and have challenged anyone to produce names of alleged victims.
The report and Moore’s reaction sit against a broader backdrop of insecurity in northern Nigeria, where kidnappings, bandit attacks, and intercommunal violence have been persistent. Earlier mass abductions, including the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolchildren in Niger State, drew international condemnation and led to diplomatic engagement between Nigerian and U.S. officials.
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