by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ABUJA (Worthy News) – At least five worshipers were killed when suspected Islamic “terrorists,” also known locally as “bandits,” attacked Easter services at churches in Nigeria’s northwestern Kaduna State, authorities said, with dozens of abducted worshipers later rescued by troops.
The gunmen reportedly opened fire on Christians in the rural Ariko community in Kaduna’s Kachia Local Government Area in the early hours of Easter Sunday, triggering panic among residents.
Nigeria’s army said it rescued 31 civilians who had been taken hostage during the attack and confirmed that five bodies were found at the scene, while troops continued pursuing the assailants.
Local sources indicated that two churches were targeted in the attack.
DEADLY ASSAULT ON WORSHIPPERS
Mark Bawa, a legislator representing the area, said attackers raided the First ECWA Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church, where worshipers had gathered for Easter services. He said the final death toll could be as high as eight.
“I am currently on my way to the community to ascertain the exact number of casualties,” he said. “Some sources said seven persons were killed, while others claimed eight,” Bawa told local media. The differing death tolls could not immediately be reconciled.
The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State, Caleb Maaji, said seven people were killed and confirmed that two churches were attacked. “Findings are still ongoing.”
He noted that poor telecommunications coverage in the area may have enabled the attackers to carry out the assault without a swift response from authorities.
“The attackers came in large numbers. They surrounded the area and began shooting at worshippers. Several people were killed, and many others were taken away into the bush,” he added.
It was not immediately clear how many people had been abducted following the raid.
PATTERN OF ATTACKS
The incident comes less than two months after a similar assault on the Kurmin Wali community, also in Kachia Local Government Area, where several worshippers were abducted during a church service in February 2026, Nigerian media reported.
Christian communities in northern Nigeria have long faced violence from armed “bandits,” including Islamist militants and criminal gangs, local Christians say.
These groups frequently target Christian villages, churches, and travelers, carrying out killings and kidnappings for ransom or ideological reasons, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Authorities have struggled to contain the violence, especially in remote regions with limited infrastructure and security presence.
NIGERIA ON WORLD WATCH LIST
Nigeria ranks seventh on the latest World Watch List compiled by Open Doors, which tracks countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.
Some 3,490 Christians were killed in Nigeria last year, the highest number recorded globally, underscoring the country’s position as the epicenter of anti-Christian violence, investigators say.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump responded by designating Nigeria a “country of particular concern” and warning of action. He has described the killings of Christians as a “genocide.”
On Christmas Day 2025, Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State-linked targets in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State, saying he had warned militants there would be “hell to pay” if the killing of Christians continued.
The strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities, marking a rare direct U.S. military intervention in the country’s long-running conflict with extremist groups.
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