Nigerian Army Rescues 31 Abducted Worshipers At Easter Church Service

Thirty-one civilians held hostage following a Sunday morning church attack in Kaduna State have been rescued, the army has said.

Five others were killed as gunmen targeted Easter celebrations at a church in Ariko area of Kaduna state, according to a statement from the security forces. A local church official had earlier put the number of dead at seven.

The army said soldiers engaged the attackers in a “fierce firefight”, forcing them to flee and leave the hostages and the bodies of the dead victims behind.

Attacks and kidnappings for ransom are common occurrences in northern Nigeria, as the country grapples with security threats from jihadist groups and armed gangs, locally known as bandits.

As a result of the firefight, officials said the “fleeing terrorists” had “significant casualties, as evidenced by blood trails along their escape routes”.

Troops had also been deployed to hunt the insurgents and reinforce security.

The army has urged residents to share information that can support operations against groups fuelling insecurity across the country.

In a separate incident, Nigeria’s military killed 65 bandits following an offensive in Zamfara state, days after a large group of bandits abducted residents from villages ‌in the state.

Police had on Saturday confirmed that there had been a mass abduction in villages in the state earlier in the week and a manhunt had been launched.