Group Decries Attacks On Kaduna Christian Communities

The chief executive officer of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Nigeria, Rev. Dr Yunusa Nmadu, has expressed concerns over the persistent attacks on Christian communities in Kaduna State.

He said thousands of the residents had been displaced by killings and mass abductions.

Nmadu said insecurity had also made it increasingly difficult for Christians in some affected communities to freely attend church services and described worship in some besieged settlements as a luxury.

He spoke during a presentation at ECWA Goodnews Church in Kaduna to mark the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP), with the theme “Light in the Darkest Places.”

Citing specific incidents, Nmadu recalled that 177 worshippers were abducted from three churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru local government area on 18th January 2026, during Sunday services.

He said the government initially denied the abduction but later acknowledged it following interventions by organisations, including CSW, adding that the victims were released after 18 days in captivity.

He also cited the 5 April 2026 attack on the Ariko community in Kachia LGA, where gunmen invaded three churches during a service, killing five people and abducting 37 others, mostly women and children.

According to him, 12 of the abducted victims escaped at different times, 17 reportedly died in captivity, while eight were released after spending five months with their captors.

On the 20 April kidnapping in Awon village, also in Kachia LGA, Nmadu said 11 people were abducted, adding that one escaped, six were confirmed dead, while four remained in captivity after six months and were reportedly in critical condition.

He said the incidents reflected a wider pattern of attacks across Kachia, Kajuru, Kauru, Kagarko and other parts of Kaduna State, leaving thousands displaced from their ancestral communities.

Nmadu alleged that Christians account for about 99 per cent of victims in several affected communities, adding that insecurity had severely restricted the ability of residents to practise their faith freely.

He also raised concerns over the treatment of victims in kidnappers’ camps, particularly women and children, alleging that captives were subjected to sexual violence, starvation and inhumane living conditions.

He said men and women were separated into different camps upon arrival, while captives were reportedly denied freedom of movement and had to seek permission before accessing water.

According to him, women, including older women and nursing mothers, were repeatedly sexually assaulted, while some who regained their freedom returned home pregnant.

He added that captives sometimes went for days without food and had limited access to soap and other basic hygiene materials.

The CSW chief executive also cited the continued captivity of Leah Sharibu, who was abducted in February 2018, describing her case as a reminder of the prolonged suffering of people held because of their Christian faith.

He further alleged that in some parts of the North-East, Christian passengers were singled out and abducted during attacks on commercial vehicles, while passengers of other religious backgrounds were allowed to go.

Nmadu urged Christians to remember victims of persecution in their prayers and support efforts to secure the release of those still in captivity.

He said CSW had worked in Nigeria for more than 17 years to defend freedom of religion or belief by documenting human rights violations, supporting victims and survivors, training human rights defenders, and engaging with government institutions.

“Behind every report and every statistic is a person: a widow, a child, a pastor, a family who has lost a home or a loved one. They are not numbers to us. They are our brothers and sisters, and when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer with it,” he said.

Nmadu urged Christians to remain steadfast in their faith and solidarity with persecuted believers, drawing inspiration from John 1:5, which says that the light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.