Over 160 ECWA Members held hostage across Kaduna, Kogi, Church raises alarm over rising insecurity

Over 160 ECWA Members Held Hostage Across Kaduna and Kogi - Church Raises Alarm Over Rising Insecurity

The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has sounded a grave alarm over the escalating wave of insecurity in Nigeria, revealing that more than 160 of its members are currently being held hostage by kidnappers across Kaduna and Kogi States.

This revelation underscores the deepening crisis of abductions targeting worshippers and communities, leaving families devastated and struggling under the weight of crippling ransom demands.

According to ECWA President, Rev. Job Bagat, the situation has reached a critical point. He disclosed that about 100 members from the Kwassam District Church Council, 30 from the Saminaka District Church Council in Kaduna State, and another 30 from the Kabba District Church Council in Kogi State were already in captivity before the most recent attack in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Kajuru incident, which occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026, saw armed men storm a church service, abducting worshippers in what Rev. Bagat described as “sacrilegious and barbaric.” The Nigeria Police Force later confirmed the attack, further highlighting the vulnerability of religious gatherings to violent incursions.

The Church emphasized that this is not an isolated occurrence but part of a broader pattern of violence affecting ECWA congregations across several states, including Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, and Niger.

Communities have been left traumatized, livelihoods disrupted, and faith institutions increasingly targeted as soft spots by criminal networks. ECWA expressed concern that delays in security responses embolden perpetrators, allowing them to operate with impunity and inflict greater harm on innocent citizens.

While acknowledging federal efforts and the eventual deployment of security personnel to Kajuru, the Church stressed that lapses in intelligence gathering and rapid response mechanisms remain a dangerous weakness. It called on Federal, State, and Local Governments to urgently strengthen early-warning systems, improve intelligence coordination, and ensure the protection of vulnerable communities. Traditional rulers, community leaders, and citizens were also urged to foster unity and vigilance in the face of growing insecurity.

Despite the grim reality, ECWA reaffirmed its commitment to prayer, peacebuilding, advocacy, and practical support for affected communities. The Church insists that the fight against insecurity must be collective, involving government institutions, civil society, and faith-based organizations working hand in hand to restore peace and stability.

This crisis serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of insecurity in Nigeria, where worshippers are abducted from sacred spaces, families are torn apart, and communities live under constant fear.

The plight of the over 160 ECWA members in captivity is not just a statistic, it is a call to action for urgent and decisive measures to safeguard lives and restore faith in the nation’s security architecture.