HORROR: 177 Christians VANISHED During Church Service

(DailyChive.com) – Fulani militants stormed three churches in Nigeria, abducting up to 177 Christians mid-worship while shouting jihadist slogans, as local government denies the atrocity.

Story Snapshot

January 18, 2026: Armed Fulani assailants raided two Cherubim and Seraphim churches and one ECWA church in Kurmin Wali, Kaduna State, forcing worshippers into bushes.
Reports confirm 100-177 abducted; 11 escaped, leaving 166-167 captive; attackers self-identified as Fulani, yelling “Allahu Akbar.”
Kaduna state government rejects claims, blocks verification, despite eyewitness accounts from survivors like Yunana Dauji and Joseph Bawa.
Part of escalating Middle Belt pattern: over 50,000 Christians killed since 2009, with kidnappings funding jihad via farmland sales.

Mass Abduction Details

On January 18, 2026, around 9:00 AM, Fulani militants armed with AK-47s simultaneously attacked three churches in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru County, Kaduna State. They surrounded two Cherubim and Seraphim congregations during worship, herded over 50 into a second site, then hit the ECWA church’s Sunday school. Assailants shouted “Allahu Akbar,” explicitly targeting Christians. Survivor Yunana Dauji, Cherubim and Seraphim secretary, confirmed the ethnic and religious identification of attackers. Eleven victims escaped post-raid; 166-167 remain held in nearby bushes.

Government Denial Amid Eyewitness Reports

Church leaders, including Rev. Joseph John Hayab of CAN Northern Chapter, reported 172 abducted on January 19, with CSW compiling a list of 167 captives by January 20. Eyewitness Joseph Bawa detailed the ECWA raid. Kaduna state officials denied mass abductions, citing no evidence, while impeding access to the area. This cover-up echoes patterns where local authorities favor Fulani interests, leaving families desperate and communities terrorized. No rescues or ransoms confirmed as of late January.

Historical Pattern of Targeted Persecution

Fulani herdsmen-militant violence in Nigeria’s Christian-majority Middle Belt surged since the 2010s, blending land disputes with Islamist jihad akin to Boko Haram and ISWAP tactics. Preceding incidents include July 2025 killings of 27 Christians in Bindi Ta-hoss and January 2026 deaths of 35 in Plateau, Benue, and Taraba. Ransoms bankrupt Christian farmers, forcing farmland sales that fund further attacks and enable Fulani expansion. Over 50,000 Christians killed since 2009 per estimates.

Reporting from Nigeria: Christians Describe Kidnappings and Attacks by Fulani Islamists

READ: https://t.co/WXq41zocCO pic.twitter.com/uamQmSokL1

— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) May 8, 2026

Strategic Impacts and Expert Analysis

ORFA researcher Steven Kerfas describes kidnappings as deliberate to fund jihad and displace Christians through economic ruin. Short-term effects include trauma and disrupted worship; long-term, Christian exodus from fertile Middle Belt farmlands. Nigeria’s federal government under President Tinubu faces criticism for weak security responses. International NGOs like CSW and APPG highlight religious targeting, countering narratives framing attacks as mere banditry. This erodes religious freedom, drawing global scrutiny on aid and accountability.