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Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSWN) has disclosed that 17 worshippers abducted during an attack on churches in Ariko community, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, died in captivity, while four victims of a separate abduction remain in the hands of their captors after more than six months.
The organisation also raised concerns over persistent attacks, killings and mass abductions targeting Christian communities in parts of Northern Nigeria, alleging that Christians constituted about 99 per cent of victims in some affected communities.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Rev. Dr. Yunusa Nmadu, disclosed this during a presentation at ECWA Goodnews Church, Kaduna, to mark the 2026 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP), under the theme, “Light in the Darkest Places.”
Nmadu identified Kachia, Kajuru, Kauru and Kagarko local government areas as some of the communities experiencing repeated attacks, kidnappings, displacement and other forms of violence.
He recalled that on April 5, 2026, gunmen attacked three churches in Ariko community while worshippers were attending services, killing five people and abducting 37 others, mostly women and children.
According to him, 12 of the abducted victims subsequently escaped, 17 died in captivity, while the remaining eight regained their freedom after spending five months with their abductors.
He also cited the April 20 kidnapping in Awon village, Kachia LGA, where 11 people were abducted. One victim escaped, six were confirmed dead, while four remained in captivity after more than six months and were reportedly in critical condition.
The CSWN chief executive further recalled the January 18, 2026 mass abduction at Kurmin Wali in Kajuru LGA, where 177 worshippers were reportedly kidnapped during Sunday services in three churches.
He alleged that authorities initially denied the incident but later acknowledged it following public pressure and interventions by human rights organisations, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
Nmadu said the victims were eventually released after spending 18 days in captivity, but lamented that recurring attacks had created widespread fear, disrupted church activities and forced many families to abandon their ancestral communities.
He expressed concern over the humanitarian consequences of the violence, noting that thousands of residents had been displaced, while those who remained continued to face threats of further attacks.
The cleric also highlighted the plight of abducted women and children, alleging that captives were subjected to sexual violence, hunger, poor sanitation and other degrading conditions in their abductors' camps.
He said women and children were particularly vulnerable, claiming that captors often separated male and female victims and denied them adequate food, clean water and basic hygiene facilities.
Nmadu further lamented that survivors frequently returned home with physical and psychological trauma, while recalling the prolonged captivity of Leah Sharibu, who was abducted in February 2018.
He said the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church should serve as a reminder of the need to support victims, advocate for those still in captivity and demand greater protection for vulnerable communities.
According to him, CSW has spent more than 17 years documenting violations of freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria, supporting survivors, training human rights defenders and engaging government institutions on human rights concerns.
“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 churches and Christians to sustain prayers and advocacy for victims, particularly those whose families have spent months or years seeking their release.
Quoting John 1:5, he encouraged Christians to remain steadfast in their faith and solidarity with persecuted communities, insisting that those suffering violence needed prayers and practical support.
A similar presentation and prayer session was held at Albaraka Baptist Church, near Mobile Police, Kaduna.
He also announced plans by CSW to organise an online prayer session as part of the IDOP activities, inviting Christians to participate in prayers for victims of persecution in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
