_Kaduna, Nigeria – Armed bandits who seized 166 Christian worshippers from three churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, on Sunday, January 18, have issued a startling pre‑condition for any ransom negotiations: they require a payment of *N28.9 million* to compensate for 17 motorcycles they claim were destroyed during recent military operations. The demand, conveyed through a community‑appointed negotiator, must be met before any talks about releasing the hostages can commence.
The coordinated attack on the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Haske Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, and Albarka Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church left 177 people initially captured; eleven managed to escape, leaving 166—including women, children, and elderly—still in captivity ¹ ². According to local sources, the bandits, fleeing sustained military offensives in neighboring Kauru LGA, lost logistical assets—particularly motorcycles used for mobility—and are now seeking restitution for those losses before entertaining any ransom demand.
Village head Ishaku Dan’azumi confirmed that the abductors contacted a negotiator and “insisted that the issue of the missing motorcycles must be resolved first,” adding that no direct cash ransom has yet been requested beyond the motorcycle compensation ¹. A resident, Linus Abu, recounted that the group valued each of the 17 motorcycles at N1.7 million, totaling N28.9 million, and warned that failure to pay would stall any further dialogue.
Security agencies have acknowledged the incident after an initial period of denial. The Kaduna State Police Command, through Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that “subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources has confirmed that the incident did occur,” and that tactical units and intelligence assets have been deployed to Kajuru and surrounding communities for search‑and‑rescue operations ³. The Nigerian military, under the 2 National Mission Force Brigade, reported rescuing three victims and destroying several bandit camps in the region, but the majority of hostages remain unaccounted for.
Community leaders and human‑rights groups, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Amnesty International, have condemned the abduction and the bandits’ pre‑condition, urging both federal and state governments to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the safe return of the captives. “Our people are suffering in the forest, and they said nothing happened,” a distraught resident told reporters, emphasizing the urgency of government action.
As of press time, negotiations remain stalled pending the payment for the alleged lost motorcycles, while security forces continue “hot pursuit” operations in the rugged forest belts around Karamai and Rijana, where the bandits are believed to be holding the hostages. Authorities have called on the public to rely on official police channels for updates and to avoid speculation that could jeopardize ongoing rescue missions.
