Gunmen have killed three individuals and abducted a Catholic priest, in Northern Nigeria
Three individuals were killed, and a Catholic priest along with several others was abducted during an early morning assault on the clergyman’s residence in Kaduna state, northern Nigeria, according to sources from the church and police on Sunday.
The assault in Kauru district on Saturday underscores the ongoing insecurity in the region, occurring just days after security services successfully rescued all 166 worshippers who were abducted in attacks by gunmen on two churches in another part of Kaduna.
These attacks have captured the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized Nigeria’s government for not adequately protecting Christians, a claim that Abuja refutes. On December 25, U.S. forces conducted strikes on what they identified as terrorist targets in northwestern Nigeria.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan identified the kidnapped clergyman as Nathaniel Asuwaye, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku, and reported that 10 other individuals were also abducted.
According to a statement from the diocese, three residents lost their lives during the attack that commenced around 3:20 a.m. (0220 GMT).
A spokesperson for the Kaduna police confirmed the incident, stating that a total of five individuals had been abducted and that the three deceased were members of the security forces.
“Security agents engaged in a gunfight with the bandits, resulting in the deaths of several of them; tragically, two soldiers and a police officer also lost their lives,” he stated.
Amnesty International stated on Sunday that Nigeria’s security crisis is “increasingly getting out of hand”. The government was accused of “gross incompetence” and failing to protect civilians as gunmen kill, abduct, and terrorize rural communities in various northern states.
A spokesperson for the presidency was not available for comment at this time.
Pope Leo, in his weekly address to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, conveyed his solidarity with the victims of recent attacks in Nigeria. “I hope that the competent authorities will persist in their efforts to ensure the security and protection of every citizen’s life,” Leo stated.
