Fresh violence erupted in Kaduna State on Saturday as suspected bandits killed three residents and abducted a Catholic priest, an imam, and several others in coordinated attacks across Kauru and Kagarko Local Government Areas.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed that the kidnapped priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, is the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku. He was abducted alongside 10 other villagers during an early morning raid around 3:20 a.m., described by locals as a well-planned assault by heavily armed attackers.
The victims also include Bello Abdullahi, Chief Imam of Janjala Central Mosque, and Fulani community leader Shehu Bello, who were abducted in Kagarko LGA.
The Kafanchan Diocese, through its Chancellor, Jacob Shanet, urged Christians and people of goodwill to pray for the safe release of the abducted priest and villagers.
“This terrible event has resulted in the killing of three people—Jacob Dan’azumi, Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari—aside from those abducted,” Shanet said.
According to the diocese, the attackers stormed the priest’s residence and neighboring homes, leaving the community in fear and shock.
Reacting to the attacks, Rev. Joseph Hayab, Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, condemned the violence and cited it as a grim reminder of the worsening security situation in Northern Nigeria.
“The kidnapping of Christian priests and innocent citizens is becoming unbearable despite all efforts to curb this evil,” Hayab stated.
Security sources revealed that a joint team of the military and police engaged the bandits in gun battles in the Kauru area, though the attackers remain at large.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that several villages—including Iddo, Gidan-Makeri, Kohoto, and Janjala—were also targeted.
Residents described gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles abducting villagers, rustling cattle, and forcing families to flee to nearby towns or sleep in the bush.
The recent abductions follow a previous incident where bandits issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding ₦6 million ransom for a woman and her four children, a deadline that expired without intervention from security agencies.
Efforts to obtain official comment from the Kaduna State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached at the time of reporting.
