The Nigerian army says it has freed 31 believers.
Apr 06, 2026, 06:15Apr 06, 2026, 06:15
They were kidnapped during Easter celebrations in Kaduna state, Nigeria. However, five people were killed.
Nigerian soldiers on a patrol. (archive image)Image: keystone
The kidnapping in a village about 100 kilometers north of the capital Abuja took place despite the heavy deployment of security forces, particularly around places of worship, during the Easter holidays.
Thanks to a quick intervention, the troops foiled a terrorist attack and rescued 31 civilians who were kidnapped during a church service in the village of Ariko, the army said in a communiqué on Sunday. Five people were killed by the attackers.
Violence is increasing
Kaduna is one of several states in northwest and central Nigeria where criminal gangs spread terror, carrying out deadly attacks on village communities and kidnapping residents for ransom. The members of the gangs are locally referred to as “bandits”.
Driven by greed for profit, these “bandits” are increasingly collaborating with jihadists from the northeast of the country, who have been waging an armed insurgency for 17 years to establish a caliphate. It is unclear whether the army was referring to jihadists or “bandits” when using the term “terrorists.”
As the army increases its presence in the region to combat these criminal groups, violence in Nigeria continues to rise. For example, in mid-January, more than 170 worshipers were kidnapped from three churches in Kaduna. At the beginning of February, the last remaining 89 prisoners were able to return home, as the German news agency DPA reported at the time. (sda/afp)