A quiet Easter celebration turned tragic in Kaduna State after armed attackers reportedly invaded a community in the early hours of Sunday, killing several people and abducting others during church services.
The assault took place in the Ariko community of Kachia Local Government Area, where gunmen targeted two Christian worship centres while residents were marking the Easter festivities.
Local authorities say at least seven people were killed in the attack, though the exact number of casualties is still being verified.
The councillor representing Awon Ward, Mark Bawa, confirmed the incident and said the attackers struck two churches in the community — First ECWA Church and St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Bawa explained that he was heading to the area to assess the situation and confirm the number of victims. According to him, initial reports from residents suggested that between seven and eight people may have been killed during the raid.
He added that poor telecommunications networks in the rural community may have slowed emergency response efforts.
Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers, surrounding the area before opening fire on worshippers gathered for the Easter service. During the chaos, several people were reportedly killed while others were forced away by the gunmen into nearby bush paths.
Witnesses also claimed that the assailants operated for a considerable amount of time without being challenged, raising concerns about the safety of rural communities in the region.
As of the time of this report, the Kaduna State Police Command had not released an official statement regarding the attack.
