ADC Accuses Kaduna Govt, Police Of Covering Up Kajuru Church Abduction
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Police Force of attempting to cover up the mass abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party condemned what it described as a “failed cover-up” of the incident, which was initially denied by authorities before being confirmed following public outcry.
The ADC said the denial reflects what it called the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government’s “dangerous obsession with public relations rather than solving security problems.”
According to the party, the initial refusal to acknowledge the abduction raises serious concerns about the credibility of governments entrusted with protecting lives.
“This episode raises a fundamental and dangerous question for our country: can a government whose first instinct is to withhold information and hide the truth be trusted to protect lives and improve security?” the statement said.
The ADC argued that denying a verified mass abduction was not a simple communication lapse but a deliberate act that undermines emergency response and public trust. It warned that silence or falsehood during security crises delays rescue efforts, worsens trauma for affected families, and places more lives at risk.
The party also alleged that journalists, civil society organisations, and independent observers were prevented from accessing affected communities, suggesting that authorities were suppressing information rather than seeking transparency.
“When official institutions dismiss verified accounts from families, community leaders, and religious bodies as falsehoods, they erode the very trust upon which effective security depends,” the ADC stated.
The opposition party further criticised what it described as contradictions in Kaduna State’s peace and security approach. While authorities were quick to deny reports of kidnapping to preserve an image of peace, senior government officials have publicly acknowledged negotiating with bandits and making concessions to criminal groups.
According to the ADC, such an approach may produce short-term gains but ultimately rewards criminality and leaves law-abiding citizens exposed to further attacks.
The party also condemned the Federal Government’s silence over the abduction, describing it as a sign of fatigue and lack of empathy.
“Silence by the Federal Government is not a strategy,” the statement said, adding that it only exposes the gap between official narratives and the reality of persistent insecurity across the country.
The ADC called for immediate and transparent rescue efforts for all abducted persons in Kurmin Wali and across Kaduna State. It also demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the initial denial of the abduction, including the role of government and security officials involved in spreading what it described as false information.
Additionally, the party urged authorities to lift all restrictions on journalists and civil society organisations seeking access to conflict-affected areas and called on the Kaduna State Government to fully disclose any negotiations or agreements with armed groups, including their legal basis and oversight mechanisms.
“No Nigerian should ever have to beg their government to acknowledge their suffering,” the ADC said, stressing that leadership must be rooted in honesty and that the primary duty of government is to protect life, dignity, and truth.
