The United States has urged the Nigerian government to take stronger and more decisive action to protect Christian communities following the abduction of more than 170 worshippers in Kaduna State, asthe Northern Christian youths called for the urgent deployment of a community-based Forest Guard to curb repeated attacks.
The abductions occurred on January 18 in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru Local Government Area, where armed bandits reportedly invaded three churches during worship, abducted at least 169 worshippers, and withdrew freely into surrounding forests.
The Kaduna State Government and the police initially denied that any abduction had taken place on Monday. However, the police later reversed their position on Wednesday, confirming that the worshippers were indeed kidnapped. Sources said the abductors are demanding the return of 17 motorcycles, valued at ₦28.9 million, allegedly seized during recent military operations, as a condition for releasing the victims.
Speaking at a high-level U.S.–Nigeria Working Group meeting in Abuja on Thursday, U.S. represented by her Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said while Nigeria had recorded some progress in tackling insecurity, recent attacks showed that more must be done to guarantee the safety of Christians and their right to practise their faith freely.
“Today, we are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities; prioritise counterterrorism and insecurity; investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable; and reduce killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the North-Central states,” Hooker said.
She cited the recent release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara State and 265 victims taken from St. Mary’s Catholic School as evidence of progress, but warned that the Kaduna abductions highlighted persistent security gaps.
“The Government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely,” Hooker added.
She noted that advancing religious freedom and security would deepen U.S.–Nigeria relations in areas such as trade, economic cooperation, public health responses and counterterrorism, while also supporting the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.
In response, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the severity of the security challenges and said the federal government was intensifying military and law enforcement operations in affected areas.
“Nigeria is a deeply plural society, and the protection of all citizens—Christians, Muslims and those of other beliefs—is non-negotiable,” Ribadu said. “Violence framed along religious lines is treated as an attack on the Nigerian state itself.”
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had authorised expanded security deployments, enhanced intelligence coordination and intensified investigations into attacks on religious communities, assuring that perpetrators would be tracked and prosecuted.
Ribadu also disclosed plans to strengthen early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms and establish a national database on deaths and casualties arising from violence, aimed at improving accountability and evidence-based security decision-making.
Meanwhile, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) strongly condemned the Kurmin Wali attack, describing it as a clear failure of Nigeria’s internal security architecture. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Isaac Abrack, the group said the attackers operated without resistance, exposing the absence of effective local security structures.
The group urged the federal government to urgently implement a community-driven Forest Guard system that prioritises the recruitment of indigenous forest dwellers, arguing that local involvement could prevent or disrupt such attacks through early warning and collaboration with security agencies.
“The attackers operated without any resistance, a situation that should deeply concern all Nigerians,” the statement said, adding that criminal groups thrive where there is no local resistance.
While commending President Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for ongoing efforts to restore peace, the NCYP stressed that the latest abductions underscore the urgent need to strengthen and properly implement security interventions, particularly those that involve affected communities directly.
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