Reporting by The Nation indicates that at least seven worshippers were killed and several others kidnapped during armed raids on two churches in Kaduna State on Easter Sunday. The attacks, which targeted First ECWA Church and St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in the Ariko community, occurred during early morning services.
Witnesses reported that the gunmen arrived in large numbers and surrounded the premises before opening fire indiscriminately. The delay in security response was reportedly due to poor telecommunications infrastructure in the rural area, which allowed the attackers to operate for an extended period without interference.
Premium Times confirmed the casualty figures, stating, “Bandits took advantage of the festive period to strike vulnerable communities,” while Vanguard reported that “the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has condemned the killings as a failure of local governance and security.”
Echotitbits take: The failure to protect citizens during a major religious festival is a significant blow to the government’s security narrative. Expect renewed calls for state policing as local communities feel increasingly abandoned by the centralized security structure.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/just-in-terrorists-attack-kaduna-churches-kill-seven-abduct-others/, and April 6, 2026
Photo credit: The Punch
