By Segun Andoma
Kaduna —
The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) has strongly condemned the mass abduction of 177 Adara Christians from Kurmin Wali village, Afogo Ward, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, describing the incident as a “heinous and barbaric crime” and demanding the immediate rescue of the victims.
In a press statement issued on January 22, 2026, the forum said the victims were innocent civilians abducted from their community, adding that the attack was another reminder of the persistent insecurity facing indigenous communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The SMBLF expressed solidarity with the Adara people, Southern Kaduna, and other victims of violent attacks across the region.
The forum also criticised senior Kaduna State officials for initially denying that the mass kidnapping occurred. It specifically faulted the Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Barrister Sule Shu’aibu (SAN); the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Rabiu; and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, accusing them of misleading the public and undermining rescue efforts.
According to the SMBLF, the public denial of the abduction emboldened the attackers and allowed them time to relocate the captives deeper into remote enclaves. The forum said such actions amounted to a betrayal of public trust and administrative failure.
The group noted that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has since confirmed that the kidnapping did take place, insisting that there can be no justification for silence or inaction.
It called for sanctions against any officials found to have deliberately downplayed or obstructed response to the incident.
The SMBLF further condemned the Kaduna State Government’s amnesty programme for armed bandits, describing it as insensitive and strategically reckless. It argued that providing medical care, education, and skills acquisition to armed groups that have not disarmed or renounced violence, while affected communities remain traumatised and unprotected, sends the wrong signal.
The forum warned that many communities in Southern Kaduna still lack meaningful security presence, even as public resources are being spent on programmes for perpetrators of violence. It said the Middle Belt has increasingly become a hub for kidnapping-for-ransom, with little accountability for offenders.
Citing similar incidents outside Kaduna State, the SMBLF referenced the abduction of over 300 school pupils and teachers in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, as well as the abduction of worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. The forum said these attacks point to a broader pattern of assaults on Christian communities across the Middle Belt.
In its demands, the SMBLF called on the Federal Government to deploy military and intelligence resources for the immediate rescue of the Kurmin Wali victims. It also urged the suspension and investigation of officials who denied or trivialised the kidnapping.
The forum further called on Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani to establish and properly fund community-based vigilante groups in Southern Kaduna, and urged governors across the Middle Belt to form a joint regional security outfit to improve intelligence sharing and coordinated response.
The SMBLF also reiterated its call for the establishment of state police and urged the National Assembly to begin work on the necessary legislation. It maintained that only a restructured Nigeria, based largely on the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, can guarantee the safety and wellbeing of citizens.
The statement was jointly signed by Oladipo Olaitan, leader of the SMBLF and Afenifere; Bitrus Pogu, President of the Middle Belt Forum; John Azuta-Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and Godknows Igali, National Chairman of PANDEF.
The forum concluded by urging Governor Uba Sani to abandon what it described as the appeasement of terrorists and to prioritise the safety of law-abiding citizens, insisting that prayers must be matched with decisive action to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.
Middle-Belt Times 