Local Security Gaps Blamed for Kaduna Village Attack and Mass Abduction

A northern youth group has pointed to failures in Nigeria’s internal security following a major attack in Kaduna State last Sunday. Armed assailants reportedly invaded Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government, moving unchallenged through the community.

The attackers targeted three churches and abducted 169 persons before retreating freely into nearby forests, according to reports.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) condemned the incident. The group’s National Coordinator, Isaac Abrack, described it as “a clear demonstration of the gaps in Nigeria’s internal security architecture.”

The NCYP argued that a functional, community-based Forest Guard could have prevented the assault. They stated that had residents been recruited, trained, and deployed, the attack might have been “prevented, resisted or at least disrupted through early warning.”

“The attackers operated without any resistance, a situation that should deeply concern all Nigerians,” the statement read.

While commending the security commitments of President Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the group stressed the attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen security interventions.

The NCYP recalled President Tinubu’s campaign pledge to revitalise the Forest Guard but cautioned that its success depends on recruitment. “A Forest Guard that excludes people who live in and understand forest communities will fall short,” the statement added.

The group emphasised that empowering local residents to protect their own forests would make it harder for criminals to operate. They noted the impracticality of permanently stationing police or military in every forested area and urged a shift toward a community-driven security model.

“Those living on the frontlines, who are most victimised, must be allowed structured participation in protecting their lives and property,” the NCYP asserted.

The statement concluded by urging the President to fill the “critical local component gap” in the Forest Guard initiative, reminding him of their electoral support based on this promise.