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Kaduna Abduction: CAN Faults Security Agencies’ Public Response
Security agencies have come under fire from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over their handling of information surrounding the abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
CAN said conflicting official statements in the aftermath of the incident reflected a lack of due diligence and compassion, warning that denying serious security breaches without verification damages public trust. The position was contained in a statement signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, and issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
The criticism follows Sunday’s attack on the community, during which bandits reportedly carted away more than 160 worshippers from three churches.
While the police initially dismissed the reports, they later confirmed the incident. Police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Tuesday, acknowledged that the abduction did take place and that several victims remain in captivity.
Reacting to the police confirmation, CAN said that while it recognises that verifying security incidents, especially in remote communities, can be challenging, such difficulties do not excuse lapses in how sensitive matters are communicated to the public.
The association said the initial public dismissal of reports about the incident, before
thorough verification was deeply troubling.
“It generated confusion, heightened fear, and unfairly questioned the credibility of nearly 170 worshippers, their families, clergy and eyewitnesses who raised the alarm,” the statement said.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned that official communication during security crises must reflect sensitivity to the pain and anxiety of affected communities, particularly when lives are at risk.
The association said efforts to manage public anxiety should not translate into responses that appear to trivialise or deny genuine suffering. According to CAN, remarks from top security officials shape public perception and must therefore be issued with restraint, accuracy and empathy, given their implications for trust and social stability.
While acknowledging the later confirmation of the abduction, CAN welcomed the directive by the Inspector-General of Police to deploy operational and intelligence resources to the area, describing the intervention as timely and necessary.
However, the Christian body maintained that security responses should go beyond deployments, stressing the need for a more citizen-centred approach to crisis communication. It urged security agencies to improve coordination and verification mechanisms, and to accord prompt seriousness to reports emerging from communities.
CAN further emphasised that victims deserve protection, distress calls should never be ignored, and all forms of misleading communication—whether dismissive or alarmist—must be avoided.
The association also urged governments at all levels to confront the persistent insecurity across the country with renewed urgency, noting that repeated incidents continue to endanger lives, disrupt worship and erode public confidence.
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