The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that an abduction incident occurred in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following days of denial and uncertainty surrounding the reports.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations by operational units and intelligence sources established that the incident did take place, contrary to earlier claims that it was false.
The abduction had generated widespread fear among residents after initial reports emerged, but was publicly dismissed during a meeting of the Kaduna State Security Council convened by Governor Uba Sani.
Police authorities at the time asked for evidence to support the claims.
Hundeyin explained that comments earlier attributed to the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Rabiu Muhammad, and widely interpreted as a denial, were meant to prevent public panic while security agencies verified the situation.
According to the police, conflicting accounts from individuals in the affected local government area contributed to the uncertainty and delayed confirmation of the incident.
Following the confirmation, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of critical operational and intelligence assets to Kajuru and surrounding communities.
Tactical units have been dispatched, patrols intensified, and targeted search-and-rescue operations launched to locate and rescue the abducted victims.
The police appealed to the public and the media to rely only on official sources for verified information and to avoid speculation that could compromise ongoing security operations.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern region, John Hayab, had claimed that scores of worshippers were abducted in the community.
These claims were initially dismissed by the Kaduna State Police Command and the state government as false.
Rabiu Muhammad had challenged those making the claims to present a list of the kidnapped persons and their details, while the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu, said engagements with CAN at the state level and community leaders indicated that the reports were unfounded.
