By Amah
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Fresh terror have swept through parts of Kaduna State, as suspected bandits launched coordinated attacks on multiple communities, killing three residents and abducting a Catholic priest, a senior Islamic cleric, and several others.
The deadliest assault occurred in Karku community, Kauru Local Government Area, where attackers stormed the village at about 3:20 a.m., opening fire and killing three people before abducting 12 residents, including a Catholic priest.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed that the abducted priest is Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku. He was taken alongside 10 other villagers during the raid.
Residents described the attack as a well-coordinated invasion by heavily armed men who arrived in large numbers, fired sporadically to instil fear, and forcibly led their captives into nearby bush paths before dawn.
In a separate but related attack in Kagarko Local Government Area, the gunmen abducted the Chief Imam of Janjala Central Mosque, Bello Abdullahi, as well as a Fulani community leader, Shehu Bello, further underscoring the widening scope of the violence across religious and ethnic lines.
Confirming the abduction of the priest, the Chancellor of the Kafanchan Diocese, Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet, expressed deep sorrow in a statement issued on Saturday and appealed for prayers.
“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with deep sorrow, we announce the kidnapping of our priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku, Kauru LGA of Kaduna State,” the statement read.
He called on Christians and people of goodwill to pray fervently for the safe release of the priest and all other abducted victims.
The latest attacks add to growing concerns over the persistent insecurity in southern Kaduna, where repeated incidents of killings and mass abductions have continued despite assurances of improved security presence.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued by security agencies on the arrests of suspects or rescue operations.
