The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday condemned the kidnapping of 163 worshippers during a church service in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, describing the incident as a grim reflection of what it called Nigeria’s worsening insecurity under the Bola Tinubu-led administration.

In a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the opposition party expressed sympathy with the families of the abducted worshippers and said the attack had plunged the affected communities into “an agonizing period of uncertainty.”

The PDP said the mass abduction, which reportedly occurred on Sunday, underscored the “normalisation of insecurity” across the country, arguing that citizens were increasingly unsafe even in places traditionally regarded as sanctuaries.

Quoting the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru Local Government Area, the party said bandits stormed the church in large numbers while the service was ongoing. According to the account, 172 worshippers were initially taken, but nine managed to escape shortly after the attack.

The party warned that repeated attacks on worshippers, regardless of faith, amounted to a failure of government to guarantee the constitutional right to freedom of worship, insisting that Nigerians should not fear attending churches or mosques.

Calling for urgent action, the PDP urged the Federal Government to immediately launch comprehensive rescue operations to secure the safe return of the kidnapped worshippers, while cautioning against what it described as media-driven rescue efforts that could compromise victims’ safety.

The statement also criticised the President for what it termed a focus on “international image laundering campaigns,” arguing that insecurity could not be resolved through propaganda or public relations efforts abroad.

Reiterating its long-standing position on security reforms, the PDP said the incident strengthened the case for state policing, adding that such a system might have prevented the attackers from operating “with such impunity.”

The opposition party further called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts against banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes, describing the protection of citizens as the primary constitutional responsibility of any administration.

“The Tinubu administration must demonstrate that Nigerian lives matter through immediate action, not empty promises,” the PDP said, noting that the families of the 163 abducted worshippers were anxiously awaiting their return. As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Federal Government or security agencies on the incident.