Gunmen kill seven, abduct others in Kaduna Easter attack

Suspected terrorists have killed at least seven people and abducted several others in a brazen Easter Sunday attack on two churches in Ariko community, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, renewing fears over the deteriorating security situation in Southern Kaduna.

The assailants stormed the community in the early hours of Sunday, targeting the First ECWA Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church simultaneously, sending worshippers fleeing in panic as gunshots rang out during what should have been a day of celebration.

The councillor representing Awon Ward, Mark Bawa, confirmed the attack to journalists via telephone, saying he was making his way to the community to verify the full extent of casualties as conflicting figures — between seven and eight deaths — had emerged from initial reports.

“The attackers came in large numbers. They surrounded the area and began shooting sporadically at worshippers. Several people were killed, and many others were taken away into the bush,” Bawa said.

He noted that poor telecommunications network in the area had complicated efforts to get an accurate picture of the situation and may have delayed an early response to the attack.

Residents disclosed that the gunmen operated for an extended period without any resistance — an account that has deepened alarm over the vulnerability of rural communities in the area, particularly during religious gatherings.

Sunday’s bloodshed is the second major attack on worshippers in the same local government area in just two months. In February 2026, gunmen struck Kurmin Wali community, also in Kachia LGA, abducting several worshippers during a church service.

The Kaduna State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement at the time of filing this report. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, indicated that details would be provided at a later time.

The recurring pattern of attacks on churches and rural communities in Southern Kaduna — timed, in this instance, to coincide with one of Christianity’s most sacred celebrations — has intensified calls for a more robust and sustained security presence in the region.