Kaduna kidnap victims recount beatings, say they went 2 weeks without bathing

Dozens of worshippers who were abducted from two churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have shared chilling accounts of their time in captivity after being rescued from bandits.

The victims were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, at about 9 a.m. while attending church services, turning what should have been a peaceful day of worship into a nightmare.

After spending nearly two weeks in the hands of their captors, they were finally rescued on Thursday, bringing relief to their families and the entire community.

One of the survivors, Hosea Madami, described the experience as traumatic and painful, saying they endured constant abuse and harsh treatment throughout their time in the forest.

“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 they were forced to trek for several days under harsh conditions.

“We spent almost six days walking in the forest. They kept beating us with sticks. Truly, we suffered greatly,” he said.

Another victim, Rebecca Josiah, said hunger was 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.

She explained that even the little food provided was difficult to manage.

“If it was too hot, you had to pour it into your clothes. We suffered terribly in their hands. Small children kept crying because of hunger,” she added.

Rebecca also said they were forced to walk barefoot for days.

“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.

Another victim, Philomena Jonathan, said the captors gave them very little food and frequently beat the men.

A woman who declined to be named said they were not allowed to bathe throughout their stay in the forest. “We slept near a river, but there was no bathing at all,” she said.

She added that coughing or crying often attracted punishment.

“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.

A pregnant victim, Theresa Irimiya, said she was spared physical abuse because of 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 victims released a few days after the incident.

An elderly woman also shared her experience, saying she hid in the forest out of fear.

“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.

She expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating their rescue.

A community leader, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the release of the abducted worshippers took place late on Thursday.

He explained that between 11pm on Wednesday and midnight, heavy-duty vehicles were sighted moving into a forest around Maro town and later returned with the abducted persons between 1 and 2am on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether any ransom was paid to secure the victims’ release or whether the motorcycles demanded by the abductors were handed over.

Recall that 177 victims were abducted during the attack, with 11 escaping the same day. An additional 80 victims, mostly children who also escaped during the attack, were reportedly found taking refuge in forest settlements two weeks later.

Reacting to the release of the final batch of victims, the village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan’azumi, thanked the Kaduna State Government and security agencies for their efforts in ensuring the safe return of the abductees.

“We are happy, and they are all currently with the government,” he stated.

Dan’azumi added that those released included children, women and adults, but declined to provide further details.

Our correspondent observed that most of the rescued victims appeared visibly exhausted, with many limping due to fatigue.