All 166 abducted churchgoers now rescued in northern Nigeria, Christian group says

All 166 abducted churchgoers now rescued in northern Nigeria, Christian group says
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Security services have rescued all 166 worshippers abducted by gunmen during attacks on two churches in northern Nigeria last month, Arab News reported.

The Christian Association of Nigeria credited the power of prayer and the military for the success of the operations in Kaduna state, but did not go into details on how the churchgoers were freed or when.

It incident was the latest in a series of reported attacks and abductions in the north that have drawn the attention of US President

US forces struck what they ⁠described as terrorist targets in northwest Nigeria on December 25.

There have been conflicting accounts of the churchgoers’ fate. Police initially said no kidnapping took place, then said on Monday 80 of those listed as abducted had fled to nearby villages during the raid and since returned to their homes.

The Nigerian authorities say they are cooperating with Washington to improve security and have denied there is systematic persecution of Christians.