MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Feb 2 (Reuters) – At least 80 congregants earlier believed to have been abducted by gunmen from three churches in northern Nigeria last month have returned home, police said on Monday, a claim immediately disputed by the Christian Association of Nigeria.
Gunmen stormed the churches in Kaduna state on January 18 and seized 177 worshippers, disappearing with them into nearby forests, according to CAN. Eleven people later escaped, leaving 166 missing, the group said.
Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan said fresh inquiries showed 80 of those reported missing had fled to nearby villages during the attack and only returned to their homes in Kurmin Wali over the weekend when they felt safe.
“Currently, we have invited all of these individuals to the Kaduna State Police Headquarters for verification of their identities, screening and health assessments,” Hassan told Reuters by phone.
Police initially denied the kidnapping before acknowledging the incident and saying security forces were searching for the missing.
However, CAN’s Kaduna state chairman, Reverend Caleb Maaji, said he had no information about any returnees.
“Based on the information available to me, the number of those kidnapped remains 177, except for the 11 who escaped and are receiving care in the hospital,” he said.
The police and CAN often offer different figures and accounts on church kidnappings.
Kidnapping for ransom is widespread in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently attack villages, schools and motorists.
The assault on the Kaduna churches is among the latest in a string of mass abductions that has intensified pressure on the Nigerian government. Nigeria has also faced scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused the country of persecuting Christians — allegations the Nigerian government denies.
Authorities say they are working to curb Islamist insurgents and other armed groups who have targeted both Christian and Muslim civilians, often for ransom.
(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri and Hamza Ibrahim in Kano, writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; editing by Chijioke Ohuocha and Mark Heinrich)
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