KADUNA — A coordinated assault on two churches in the Ariko community of Kaduna State has left at least seven worshippers dead and an unspecified number of others abducted during Easter Sunday services on April 5, 2026.
The attackers, reportedly arriving in large numbers on motorcycles, surrounded the worship centres just as congregations were observing the holy day. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, targeting those attempting to flee before rounding up survivors—including women and children—and forced them into the surrounding forest.
The Massacre at Ariko
In the chaos that followed, seven individuals were confirmed dead on the spot. Local sources described the scene as one of total terror, with hymns being silenced by heavy gunfire. After the initial killings, the terrorists reportedly conducted a systematic abduction, marching scores of people into the difficult terrain of the Kajuru-Kachia axis, a known stronghold for bandit groups.
The Ariko area has been a flashpoint for regional instability, with recent data suggesting that nearly 80% of the local population had already been living under the threat of displacement. Despite government assurances of increased security during the festive period, the rural stretches of Southern Kaduna remain acutely vulnerable to these high-casualty raids.
A Recurring Pattern of Religious Targeting
This Easter Sunday attack follows a grim trend of targeting religious gatherings in the state. Only months prior, a mass abduction in Kachia LGA saw over 160 people taken from their pews. The recurring nature of these incidents during major religious holidays has led community leaders to argue that worship centres are being intentionally targeted to maximize psychological impact and social disruption.
The Kaduna State Police Command, through spokesperson DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed that security operatives have been deployed to the area to track the assailants and initiate rescue operations. However, local vigilante groups expressed concern that the lead time gained by the attackers has already allowed them to retreat deep into the bush.
Regional Security Crisis
As news of the Ariko killings spread, other churches in the surrounding Local Government Areas reportedly truncated their services, with many families opting to relocate toward Kaduna city for safety. The state government has called for calm and promised a thorough investigation, but for the bereaved families and those awaiting news of the kidnapped, the sense of insecurity remains absolute.
The tragedy underscores the ongoing challenge of securing rural communities in the North-West, where “hit-and-run” tactics continue to outpace conventional security deployments.
