Bandits attacked the Southern Kaduna region of Kaduna State on Monday, abducting a Catholic priest and several residents, and killing one person, the Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese has confirmed.
The assailants targeted Kushe Gugdu village in Kagarko Local Government Area, storming St. Stephen Parish and abducting the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Bobbo Paschal. In a notice to priests signed by the Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Christian Okewu Emmanuel, the Archdiocese stated: “I write to inform you of the attack on Kushe Gugdu and the abduction of one of our priests… During the attack, many others were abducted, and the brother of Rev. Fr. Anthony Yero was killed.”
The Archdiocese called on all men and women of goodwill to pray for the safety and swift release of the abducted victims and for the repose of the deceased.
Earlier reports by Amnesty International highlighted a similar wave of violence in Kaduna, including the abduction of 12 people, among them a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), in Gidan Waya, Lere Local Government Area. Four people were reportedly killed in that attack, which Amnesty described as part of a longstanding pattern of insecurity and insufficient government response in northern Nigeria.
The human rights organization emphasized that rural communities in Plateau, Zamfara, southern Kaduna, Benue, and Katsina states have suffered chronic insecurity, forced displacement, and repeated attacks by armed groups since 2016. Amnesty International stressed that a coordinated, rights-respecting security approach and accountability for perpetrators are essential to halt the ongoing cycle of violence in these regions.
