In the pre-dawn darkness of February 7, 2026, a gang of gunmen stormed the Holy Trinity Parish, Karku, Kauru Local Government, Kaduna State, killing three villagers and abducting the parish priest, Rev. Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, along with 10 others. Asuwaye’s abduction has since been confirmed by the Catholic Archbishop of Kafanchan, Dr. Julius Yakubu Kundi, who also called for prayers for his safe return.
“I heard the gunfire and then neighbours screaming, ‘they’ve taken Father,’” said Mrs. Chinyere Musa, a resident who watched from her compound as the gunmen fled.
Church officials, who spoke to Daily Sun on the development, described the abduction as another example of the insecurity plaguing Southern Kaduna, adding that the attack reflects a harrowing pattern of violence that has gripped the state.
What is more, the attack has since reopened fresh wounds coming only days after the kidnapping of more than 160 worshippers in multiple church raids. “They have since been rescued or released, but the memories of weeks in captivity and days of being hostage remain vivid and deepening for many,” said a parish worker at one of the churches in the state capital.
Abduction of Catholic priests in Kaduna is an old bad habit that has festered over the years. Rev. Father Bobbo Paschal and others were abducted in the early hours of November 17, 2025. The priest was picked from his residence in Kushe Gugdu, Kagarko LG. He regained freedom after two months in captivity.
Earlier, in April 2025, Rev. Father Ibrahim Amos was abducted from his residence and later released with deep pains and scars of the incident. In March 2025, gunmen abducted and later killed Rev. Father Sylvester Okechukwu, a parish priest in Kaura LG.
A Vatican-linked report indicates that, between 2015 and 2025, Kaduna State accounted for a disproportionate share of priest kidnappings and related deaths, including at least two recent abductions of Catholic priests prior to this latest attack.
Investigation by Daily Sun indicated that the abduction of Catholic priests may not be unconnected to the assumption that they are connected to a broader church network and sympathetic communities and are, therefore, high-value targets for big ransoms.
Multiple respondents whose views were sought also linked these abductions to the existing security and governance gaps in the state, summing up that many rural communities lie beyond the reach of effective governance and security oversight.
“This reality makes easy for these armed groups, labelled variously as bandits, militants, or terrorists, to exploit this vacuum, to move freely at night and execute coordinated raids on villages and these churches,” they held.
Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, urged the federal and state governments, as wellas security agencies, to secure the people, insisting that the primary responsibility of any government remains the protection of life and property.
He warned that persistent insecurity poses a serious threat to peace and national stability while describing the recent episodes as troubling and reflective of the deteriorating security situation, particularly in rural communities of the state.
The archbishop expressed concerns over the safety of the abducted priests and others held in captivity, urging the security agencies to intensify their rescue efforts and ensure their safe return.
Ndagoso called on the authorities to dismantle kidnapping syndicates and ensure that perpetrators are apprehended and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. He appealed to government at all levels to address the causes of insecurity by investing in job creation, education and social development initiatives, while urging Christians and residents of the affected communities to remain calm, prayerful and supportive of security agencies by providing useful information when necessary.
For families and members of the Christian community in the state, these dark incidents have become part of a disturbing pattern. “Every time you hear gunshots, you ask, who is being kidnapped again?” said Sam, a Christian worshipper from Kachia town, who fled his village after repeated attacks and sieges: “It’s not safe to walk at night; it’s not safe to stay inside. We feel abandoned and frightened.”
At a makeshift prayer vigil held at the Kafanchan Cathedral days after the latest abduction, dozens of worshippers gathered, lit candles and sobbed in silence. It was a very lamentable sight to behold.
“We pray but our hearts are breaking,” said Aisha Bello, a mother of four whose husband narrowly escaped being kidnapped last October: “We send our priests into our homes, into our schools and then we hear they’re gone.”
Community leaders in Lere LG say tens of their villagers have been held captive for months, forcing scores to abandon their homes and farmlands: “These bandits have made whole communities refugees in their own land,” said a representative of the Akurmi Development Association.
Joseph Hayab, chairman, Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said: “This violence is unbearable. The kidnapping of priests and citizens continues despite all efforts.”
Governor Uba Sani lamented the situation, saying the number of those who were kidnapped did not matter: “Whether it was one person or 100 people, it is the responsibility of the Kaduna State Government to protect the lives and properties of the people.”
