Army Jumps to Rescue 8 Muslims but Leaves 168 Christians Languishing in Kidnapper Hell
By Luka Binniyat
(Kaduna) For the Nigerian Army in Kaduna State, 8 residents rescued from a kidnapper den on Thursday was gallant: “a crushing blow to criminal elements…”
But local Christian leaders weren’t buying the spin.
The eight Muslim hostages rescued after a week were from Fadan Chawai, Kauru County, Southern Kaduna, but 168 Christians from nearby communities still suffer terrorist captivity after months.
8 Hostages Rescued
A statement posted on the official X handle of the Nigerian Army, @HQnigerian army, Thursday (29th January, 2026) reads: “ In another crushing blow to criminal elements, troops of Sector 7, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), acting on credible and actionable intelligence, launched a swift and coordinated offensive into a known kidnappers’ hideout at Badurum Kasa Forest, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on 28 January 2026,” according to the unsigned statement.
“The troops, operating in synergy with the Zango Kataf Police Area Command, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Forest Guards and local Hunters, advanced decisively into the forest.
“At about 17:59 hours, contact was made, triggering panic among the kidnappers who, unable to withstand the superior force and precision of the joint team, abandoned their captives and fled in disarray into the surrounding bushes.
“The successful operation led to the rescue of eight kidnapped victims unharmed and successfully reunited with their families…This decisive action stresses the Nigerian Army’s robust inter-agency synergy, agile ground maneuvers and relentless resolve to protect lives, secure critical routes and deny criminal elements the freedom of action,” the statement concluded with panache.
But neighboring communities didn’t swoon, according to locals who spoke to TruthNigeria.
Fadan Chawai, is a small Muslim community made up of native Chawai natives, the descendants of Hausa and Fulani settlers, TruthNigeria learned.
“These people were rescued just after a week of being kidnapped,” said Auta Moses, a farmer from Damakasua town, close to Fadan Chawai.
“Those kidnapped are 4 Chawai Muslims, 2 Hausa and 2 Fulani Muslims,” he said.
One Kidnapper Caught
“In fact, this afternoon, they caught one of the kidnappers relaxing in his home, right. He is one of the leaders of the kidnappers, and he is a Fulani man that came there about three years ago,” he said.
“Right now, they have returned to the bush to get the rest, based on the new information they got about the remaining criminals,” he added.
“But the government doesn’t seem to care about the Christians who have been kidnapped by these bandits who are all Fulani,”
According to him, he has an uncle with three children who have been in the kidnappers’ den since October 2025.
“Why can’t the same efforts be made to rescue Christian hostages?” he asked.
Charges of Compromised Military
“When it comes to these soldiers and police on this kidnapping, they connive with the terrorists and do nothing to protect the majority of our people who are Christians,” said a female politician from Chawai Chiefdom who spoke on background to TruthNigeria, Thursday.
“I have some relations who have been kidnapped for a month now. We keep paying ransom, and the terrorists keep hiking it. The military know about this. But nothing is done.
“Is it a crime to be a Christian and live on your ancestral land?” she asked.
Insight from a Miyetti Allah Insider
An official of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Kauru branch, spoke to TruthNigeria via phone, Thursday, but only on background, saying that it was wrong to blame the military for bias in Kauru.
“The truth is that those Christians don’t usually give full information and cooperation to Joint Task force,” he said.
“We Muslims also have formed a joint patrol with some few Christians that we trust, and we give full cooperation and information to the Military task force. So, it is always easy to get our members rescued on time,” he said.
Christian Community Leader Petitions the Governor
A former Youth Leader of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), cried foul in a letter to Kaduna Gov. Uba Sani.
Comrade Nasir Jagaba, a native of Kauru county, wrote the following open letter to the governor:
In “Urgent Petition on The Continuous Kidnappings, Killings, and Security Breakdown in Kauru Local Government Area,” Jagaba claimed that no less than 16 Christians have been killed and 138 still held by kidnappers in the Chiefdoms of Kauru at the time of writing the letter.
Selective Rescue
“Over the past months, residents of Kauru LGA have been abducted from their homes, farms, and along local roads on a near-daily basis.
“Many victims remain in captivity, while others have been brutally killed. Fear has replaced normal life; farming activities have declined, economic survival has become impossible, and entire villages now live under constant threat,” according to Jagaba.
“Despite repeated cries for help from community members, there has been little visible intervention or sustained security presence to stem this crisis,” he said.
Lists of Victims
He gave a list of victims from affected villages in Kumana, Kauru, and Chawai Chiefdoms:
• Ningi Karku–7 kidnapped, 1 killed
• Kajunga–6 kidnapped, 2 killed
• Kabari (Gobirawa)–53 kidnapped, 4 killed
• Danmaikogi–3 kidnapped, 1 killed
• Fadan Rishiwa–8 kidnapped, 2 killed
• Kagadama–6 kidnapped, 1 killed
• Fagen Rawa–3 kidnapped
• Rafin Iwa–8 kidnapped
• Unguwan Baka–3 kidnapped
• Nasarawan Kadage–29 kidnapped, 2 killed
• Darmanu–6 kidnapped, 2 killed
• Rumaya–28 kidnapped, 3 killed
• Zaman Chawai–1 person kidnapped
“138 persons are currently held by kidnappers while 16 have been confirmed killed,” the letter added.
16 killed, 168 kidnapped
“As I speak to you, Jagaba wrote, about 30 more have been kidnapped in addition to the 138 already with the bandit terrorists,” he said.
“And all of them are Christians,” he added.
He said at least 168 are held captives in Kauru County alone.
Luka Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria on Politics and Conflict from Kaduna.
