Raids Tighten Siege on Farming Villages 22 miles From Kaduna city
By Mike Odeh James
(Kajuru) They came in the night by the dozens. Armed with rifles, moving between houses with deadly precision.
More than 20 Fulani ethnic militia stormed the Christian community of Dutsen Gayya in Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) March 9, 2026. They dragged 15 native Christians from their homes, including an infant, Baby Samaila.
Kajuru is just 22 miles Southeast of Kaduna, Nigeria’s fourth-largest city, and the ongoing siege carries direct implications for U.S. foreign policy and Washington’s billions in aid to Abuja.
Two-Weeks of Terror: February 26 – March 9, 2026
Fulani ethnic militia have launched a systematic campaign to destroy native Christian farming communities. In just 14 days, their attacks in Kajuru did the following:
· Kidnapped 38 people
· Killed two residents
· Wounded three others
· Held at least 15 long-term hostages—some for more than two months.
Families paid ransom. The terrorists took the money. They kept the people.
The Night They Came for an Infant
On the night of March 9, heavily armed Fulani fighters surrounded Dutsen Gayya. Gunshots shattered the silence as militia members moved house to house.
A Week of Coordinated Terror
Community leader Maiangwa Markus documented the preceding week’s attacks. On March 2, Kallah community saw 13 native Christians kidnapped in a single night. March 7 brought multiple strikes: In Buda, Tajani Adadu was shot and wounded, while Ezra Danladi and his wife were seized. In Janwuriya 1, three women were kidnapped and two residents wounded. In Bauda, Danladi Lambawan was killed. At dawn on March 8 in Ungwan Sarki Iri, one resident was killed, and Cyrus Benjamin and Isaac Daniel were kidnapped. On February 26 in Kujeni Dutse, an entire family of three was snatched.
Confirmed Casualties: February 26 – March 9, 2026
· Kujeni Dutse (Feb 26): 3 kidnapped
· Kallah (March 2): 13 kidnapped
· Buda (March 7): 2 kidnapped, 1 wounded
· Janwuriya 1 (March 7): 3 kidnapped, 2 wounded
· Bauda (March 7): 1 killed
· Ungwan Sarki Iri (March 8): 1 killed, 2 kidnapped
· Dutsen Gayya (March 9): 13 kidnapped
· Kajuru town (March 9): 2 kidnapped
| TOTALS | | 2 killed | 38 kidnapped | 3 wounded |
“The Pattern Is Always the Same”
Maiangwa Markus, a village chief, has documented these attacks for years. “They surround villages at night, fire shots to create panic, then go house to house, dragging people into the forests. They know the terrain better than the security forces. The goal is clear: drive us off our ancestral land.”
Ransom Taken — Hostages Kept
Families across Kajuru scraped together millions of naira. They sold possessions and borrowed from relatives. Yet in some cases the Fulani terrorists took the money but did not release their captives. “Two people from Buda are still being held captive, even though their families paid ransoms,” Markus told TruthNigeria.
Terror Camps Holding Kidnapped Christians
TruthNigeria has identified four detention camps serving as hostage hubs: Doka (Kajuru LGA), Rijana (Chikun LGA), Jan Dutse (Kachia LGA), and Enugwu (Kachia LGA). Multiple survivors describe these as linked nodes in a coordinated kidnapping network. Victims are moved between locations to complicate rescue efforts.
Nigeria: The Deadliest Place on Earth to Be Christian
According to Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026, Nigeria now accounts for 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed each year for their faith globally—approximately 72 percent of the world total. Researchers emphasize these figures are likely conservative, as rural killings frequently go undocumented. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has declared security improvements, but the reality in Kajuru contradicts those claims.
‘Not a Reduction — It Is a Redistribution’
Community leaders see a shifting threat. “The military is busy in the northeast fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP,” Markus explained. “These armed groups are redistributing, moving south into the Middle Belt where we are unprotected. What we are seeing is not a reduction—it is a redistribution.”
The American Stakes
Washington’s interest has deepened. The U.S. already designates ISWAP as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.” In February 2026, U.S. lawmakers introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act, calling for sanctions against perpetrators of religious violence and new conditions on bilateral aid.
Yet Fulani terrorists continue operating with near-total impunity—running kidnapping networks, maintaining camps, and collecting ransoms from subsistence farmers.
Scott Morgan, a Washington-based analyst on African conflicts, offered a stark assessment: “The leaders in Nigeria should pay attention to the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act. The Donald Trump administration is closely monitoring the situation and will likely take additional action if it does not improve.”
Morgan pointed to recent sanctions against the Rwandan Defence Force (the military of Rwanda) and four of its senior officials over its conduct in eastern Congo as a template. “Washington has shown it is willing to apply pressure on governments it believes are failing to address serious security- and human rights concerns.”
Mike Odeh James reports on security and conflict for TruthNigeria.
