Kaduna Easter abduction: 70‑day captivity of worshippers sparks criticism

During an Easter Sunday service in the village of Ariko, Kachia Local Government Area, Kaduna State, armed kidnappers seized worshippers, who have now been held for more than 70 days. The Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA) says another 11 residents abducted from the nearby Awon community remain missing after over 50 days.

KUDA accuses the federal government, the Kaduna State government and security agencies of neglect, saying families are left in “silence” with no coordinated effort to secure releases. The association warns that continued violence has displaced over 100 settlements, forcing thousands into informal camps lacking food, medical aid, education and basic services. It urges the authorities to accelerate the construction of a forward‑operating base at Maraba Barga Junction in Awon and to provide emergency humanitarian assistance.

The group’s statement, signed by President J. D. Ariko and Publicity Secretary Manasseh Samuel, stresses that the affected people deserve the same protection and dignity as citizens elsewhere in Nigeria.