Cairo, Egypt – The Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, based in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, issued a statement highlighting a “painful paradox” in the Nigerian scene
The funeral ceremonies for the heroic Imam Abubakar Abdullahi – who gained international renown
for saving hundreds of Christians from death in 2018 – coincided with a new human tragedy:
a mass kidnapping targeting worshippers inside their places of worship in the north of the country.
Details of the Kaduna attack
The Observatory explained that Kaduna State awoke to an attack
by armed gangs targeting two churches in the village of Kurmin Wali during Sunday services.
According to the statement, the attackers arrived in large numbers and blocked the entrances to
the places of worship. They then forcibly took 172 worshippers into the bush.
Although nine people managed to escape, 163 remain in the gangs’ custody.
The Observatory considered this attack to be another link in the chain of security challenges facing Nigeria.
Armed groups exploit structural gaps in the security of remote areas to target villages,
schools, and places of worship, turning the lives of civilians into a constant state of anxiety and displacement.
Hope vs. Fear
Al-Azhar Observatory condemned this blatant attack, describing it as a dangerous indicator of escalating violence targeting places of worship.
The Observatory affirmed that the primary objective of these operations is to create a climate of fear among citizens.
It also aims to deepen sectarian divisions and undermine the social fabric of Nigeria.
The Observatory added that Nigeria today stands between two contrasting narratives:
one offering hope, embodied in the life of the late Imam Abubakar Abdullah,
who exemplified the values of human brotherhood; and the other, the Kaduna attack, which instills fear.
The Observatory concluded its statement by emphasizing that “the power of violent forces
-no matter how great-will not be able to break the will of human role models capable of resilience
and of upholding the values of coexistence,” calling for concerted efforts to thwart attempts to ignite sectarian strife.
