Dozens of kidnapped Nigerian Christians released from captivity

The last 89 Christians held captive since criminal gangs attacked three churches in northern Nigeria in mid-January were released on Thursday, following a spate of mass kidnappings in the country.

The worshippers, dressed in yellow and including children, arrived on a bus escorted by security forces, and were received by the governor of Kaduna state, Uba Sani, who said 183 people were initially abducted.

They were snatched from three churches during Sunday services on January 18, in the Kurmin Wali village of the predominantly Christian district of Kajuru, Kaduna state, the latest in a wave of mass abductions targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

The attacks have piled international scrutiny on insecurity in the country, including from US President Donald Trump.

“Here we have 172, but the numbers that were abducted at the beginning were 183,” said the governor, adding that 11 had escaped.