LAGOS, Nigeria

All 166 people abducted from two churches in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria, have been returned to their families after weeks in captivity, with the head of a Christian organization thanking security agencies and community leaders for their assistance in securing their release from armed bandits.

While details about their release are sketchy, Reverend John Hayab, chairman of the northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), told Anadolu on Thursday that all 166 people were released after sustained efforts by security agencies, local authorities, and community leaders.

Hayab did not reveal the names of the two churches from which these people were kidnapped due to security concerns. It was unclear whether a ransom was paid, as he declined to comment.

The victims were kidnapped during an attack on two churches in Kurmin Wali, Kaduna, on Jan. 19, when armed assailants stormed the buildings, shooting sporadically and taking them to unknown locations.

The incident sparked widespread outrage and heightened concerns about persistent insecurity in northern Nigeria.

Government officials who spoke with Anadolu on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak to the media, said efforts are underway to ensure the victims receive medical care and psychosocial support following their release on Wednesday.

They said the criminal gang had kidnapped people from the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.

Community leaders and religious groups have called for increased security around places of worship, pointing out that repeated attacks on churches and mosques have fueled fear and disrupted communal life.

The latest development adds to a growing list of mass abductions in Nigeria's Northwest, one of the country's six geopolitical zones, where armed groups have increasingly targeted rural communities, highways, schools, and religious institutions, despite ongoing military operations.