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Again, terrorists in Kaduna State have abducted a Catholic priest and 10 other residents while killing three persons during an attack on Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed the abduction of Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, who was reportedly taken alongside the other victims in the early hours of Saturday.
In a statement, the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Reverend Father Jacob Shanet, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called for prayers for the victims.
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“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.
According to Shanet, the attackers stormed the priest’s residence at about 3:20 a.m., with villagers describing the assault 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 urged priests, Christian faithful, and people of goodwill to pray for the safe release of the abducted victims while also praying for 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, warning that kidnappings continue to escalate despite efforts to curb the menace.
“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 victims’ safe return and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to halt the growing wave 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.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, was yet to respond to inquiries on the incident.
A former senior Nigerian military officer has cautioned the public against expecting United States troops recently deployed to Nigeria to engage bandits or terrorist groups directly on the battlefield, stressing that responsibility for defeating insurgency rests squarely with Nigeria’s armed forces.
Major General Ijioma N. Ijioma (retd), a former Director of Operations at Army Headquarters, made the remarks amid heightened public debate following the arrival of a small contingent of U.S. troops in the country last week. The deployment has raised expectations among Nigerians frustrated by years of persistent insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, and kidnappings across several regions.
U.S. officials have described the mission as part of deeper security cooperation between Washington and Abuja, but have provided limited details about its scope, fueling speculation about the role the American forces will play.
The deployment was confirmed by General Dagvin R. M. Anderson, Commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), who said the team would bring “unique capabilities” as part of expanded collaboration between both countries to address terrorism.
According to Anderson, the deployment followed discussions between Nigerian and U.S. officials who agreed that additional efforts were needed to confront extremist threats. However, he did not disclose the size of the team or the precise duration of the mission.
Security officials familiar with similar AFRICOM deployments across Africa have said such missions typically focus on intelligence support, training, logistics, and operational planning rather than direct combat. Reuters and the Associated Press have reported that the U.S. has adopted a “by, with, and through” strategy on the continent, enabling local forces rather than leading frontline operations.
A former senior Nigerian military officer has cautioned the public against expecting United States troops recently deployed to Nigeria to engage bandits or terrorist groups directly on the battlefield, stressing that responsibility for defeating insurgency rests squarely with Nigeria’s armed forces.
Major General Ijioma N. Ijioma (retd), a former Director of Operations at Army Headquarters, made the remarks amid heightened public debate following the arrival of a small contingent of U.S. troops in the country last week. The deployment has raised expectations among Nigerians frustrated by years of persistent insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, and kidnappings across several regions.
U.S. officials have described the mission as part of deeper security cooperation between Washington and Abuja, but have provided limited details about its scope, fueling speculation about the role the American forces will play.
The deployment was confirmed by General Dagvin R. M. Anderson, Commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), who said the team would bring “unique capabilities” as part of expanded collaboration between both countries to address terrorism.
According to Anderson, the deployment followed discussions between Nigerian and U.S. officials who agreed that additional efforts were needed to confront extremist threats. However, he did not disclose the size of the team or the precise duration of the mission.
Security officials familiar with similar AFRICOM deployments across Africa have said such missions typically focus on intelligence support, training, logistics, and operational planning rather than direct combat. Reuters and the Associated Press have reported that the U.S. has adopted a “by, with, and through” strategy on the continent, enabling local forces rather than leading frontline operations.
