Dozens rescued after Easter Sunday attack in Nigeria

Troops recovered the bodies of five people killed at a church in Kaduna state, the army has said

Nigerian troops have rescued 31 people abducted during an Easter church service in northwestern Kaduna state after engaging the attackers in a firefight, the army said on Sunday.

The bodies of five people killed in the attack were recovered at the scene, while one of those rescued is receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained in the assault, the army said in a statement.

According to the military, troops responded to a distress call from Ariko village in the Kachia area, where gunmen stormed an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) house of worship and seized the congregation. Soldiers, backed by local residents, tracked the assailants as they fled and forced them to abandon 31 captives after coming under “superior firepower,” it added.

“Troops have since intensified pursuit operations to track the fleeing elements to their enclaves, with ongoing efforts aimed at rescuing any remaining captives and ensuring the perpetrators are brought to justice,” the army stated.

The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State, Caleb Maaji, told Reuters that two churches were attacked in Ariko on Sunday, adding that seven people were killed and an unknown number kidnapped.

READ MORE: Palm Sunday attacks in Nigeria leave at least 53 dead

Kaduna and other parts of northern and north-central Nigeria have seen repeated kidnappings for ransom, village raids, and attacks on religious gatherings by armed gangs. Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics said in a 2024 crime survey that an estimated 2.2 million people were kidnapped nationwide between May 2023 and April 2024.

The Easter church attack came a week after a deadly outbreak of violence on Palm Sunday. Gunmen raided Angwan Rukuba in Jos North, Plateau State, killing at least 28 people, according to police.

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At least 13 people were also killed the same day in Kahir village in neighboring Kaduna, International Christian Concern (ICC) said. In January, more than 160 worshippers were kidnapped from two churches in Kajuru, also in Kaduna.

Last October, the administration of US President Donald Trump placed the West African country on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” amid allegations of “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria. Abuja has denied claims that Christians are the only group being targeted, saying the violence affects Nigerians of all faiths.