Posted by Samuel on Fri 06th Feb, 2026 - tori.ng
The victims were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, at about 9 am while attending Sunday service. They were rescued in the early hours of Thursday, after being held in the bush for 14 days.
Dozens of worshippers abducted from two churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have recounted harrowing tales of brutality and deprivation during their two-week captivity in the forest.
The victims were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, at about 9 am while attending Sunday service. They were rescued in the early hours of Thursday, after being held in the bush for 14 days.
One of the rescued worshippers, Hosea Madami, told Daily Trust that the captives endured constant abuse and harsh conditions throughout their ordeal.
“We suffered a lot in the forest. They beat me on my head and hands. They fed us like dogs, giving us very little food in our hands. There was no salt, so the food had no taste,” he said.
Madami added that the abductees were forced to trek for several days under difficult conditions.
“We spent almost six days walking in the forest. They kept beating us with sticks. Truly, we suffered greatly,” he recalled.
Another abductee, Rebecca Josiah, described hunger as one of the most unbearable aspects of their captivity.
“I ate only four times in the two weeks we spent in the forest. They gave us kunu, and sometimes tuwo, in our hands,” she said.
Josiah also said they were forced to walk barefoot, causing blisters and swollen feet.
“We walked for days in the forest without shoes. My feet became swollen, and I stepped on thorns. But we thank God that we returned safely,” she said.
A third victim, Philomena Jonathan, said the captors provided very little food and frequently beat the men in the group.
An unnamed woman added that bathing was forbidden, even when they spent nights near a river.
“If you coughed, they beat you, especially the men. When small children cried too much, they threatened to kill them if they did not stop,” she said.
Among the abductees was Theresa Irimiya, who was pregnant at the time of her capture. She said she was spared physical abuse due to her condition.
“They did not beat me after they captured us because I was pregnant. They left me alone and later told me to go home with the small children,” she said.
She was among the first released days before the others.
An elderly woman also shared that she had hidden in the bush out of fear before escaping and seeking refuge in a neighbouring settlement.
“When they came, I hid in the bushes for many days because I was afraid. Later, I came out and ran to another settlement,” she said.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the release took place late on Wednesday night.
He explained that between 11 pm and midnight, heavy‑duty vehicles were seen entering the forest around Maro town, returning with the abducted worshippers between 1 am and 2 am on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear whether any ransom was paid or if the motorcycles demanded by the abductors were handed over to secure the victims’ freedom.