A violent Easter Sunday attack on a church in northwestern Nigeria has left a community shattered, a regional church body furious, and the Nigerian Army publicly at odds with Christian community leaders over whether a rescue operation actually succeeded.
Gunmen stormed a church in Ariko village, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, during an Easter Sunday service. According to the Nigerian Army, troops launched an operation that resulted in the rescue of 31 civilians who had been taken hostage. Five bodies were found at the scene, the army said in a statement on Sunday, April 5th.
What the Army Says
“Through a coordinated response, troops successfully rescued 31 civilians who were abducted by armed men during the attack on a church in Ariko village,” the army said in a statement, adding that troops were in pursuit of the attackers.
The defence headquarters confirmed the operation and said security forces had been deployed to the area following the attack on what should have been one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar.
Christian Leaders Deny the Claim
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the northern region immediately disputed the army’s account, saying the hostages had not been freed.
“Yes, the military are doing their best to get them back home, but it is not fair for the military to claim that the victims have been rescued,” said Reverend John Joseph Hayab, CAN chairman for northern Nigeria. “When we are busy denying, we are just giving the bandits the opportunity to strike and go freely.”
Hayab’s statement was corroborated by the Kurtumi Unity Development Association, a local residents’ group, which described the army’s claim as “entirely false, misleading and does not reflect the current situation.”
Iliya Audu, a former village head of Ariko, put the death toll at seven — higher than the army’s figure of five — and said burials had taken place on Monday. “We are just returning from the burial of those killed. No single soul was rescued,” Audu told Reuters.
A Pattern of Disputed Accounts
This is not the first time Nigeria’s Christian community has challenged official security narratives. In November 2025, CAN similarly disputed military figures following the abduction of students from a Catholic school in neighbouring Niger State.
Nigeria’s President Donald Trump has publicly stated that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria — a charge the government denies. The Kaduna attack and the competing accounts of what happened are likely to intensify international scrutiny.
A Region Under Siege
Northwest Nigeria has for years been plagued by armed groups operating from vast forest hideouts, carrying out mass kidnappings for ransom, village raids, and attacks on churches and schools. Kaduna State, with its mix of Christian and Muslim communities, has been particularly affected.
The Nigerian Army and Defence Headquarters did not respond to requests for comment on Monday as to why they maintained their rescue claim in the face of strong denials from community leaders.
Sources: Reuters, DW, BBC Africa, AllAfrica, RNZ