Gunmen kidnap catholic priest, 10 others, kill 3 in Kaduna community attack

Residents of Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State were thrown into fear and mourning after suspected terrorists launched a deadly attack that left three people dead and 11 others abducted, including a Catholic priest.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed that Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, was among those taken during the early hours of Saturday.

According to reports, the attackers stormed the community under the cover of darkness, killing three residents before whisking away several others to an unknown location. The incident has once again highlighted the persistent insecurity affecting communities in parts of Kaduna State.

In an official statement, the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Reverend Father Jacob Shanet, expressed deep sadness over the attack and called on the faithful to pray for the safe return of the abducted victims.

“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with profound sadness, 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,” he said.

Shanet explained that the attackers stormed the priest’s residence at about 3:20 a.m., with residents describing the incident as an invasion by armed terrorists.

“Fr. Nathaniel was kidnapped alongside ten other people at Karku. At the time of writing this report, the incident has resulted in the killing of three people, Mr. Jacob Dan’azumi, Mr. Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari, aside from those abducted,” he added.

The diocese called on priests, Christian faithful, and people of goodwill to pray for the safe release of the victims and for the souls of those who lost their lives in the attack.

“The entire Diocese of Kafanchan entrusts them to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of these evildoers,” Shanet stated.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Joseph Hayab, described the incident as distressing, noting that kidnappings continue to rise despite ongoing efforts to curb the trend.

“This is a sad story; the kidnapping is getting too much. It is unfortunate that the abduction of Christian priests and other citizens remains unabated,” he said.

Hayab, however, expressed hope for the safe return of the victims and urged security agencies to step up efforts to address the increasing cases of kidnappings and killings.

“We remain hopeful and are praying with the Catholic Church and the parish of the kidnapped priest while calling on security agents to take decisive measures to arrest this growing incident,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, had yet to respond to inquiries on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

(VANGUARD)