Bauchi (Nigeria): Gunmen killed three people and abducted a Catholic priest and several others during an early morning attack on the clergyman’s residence in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, church and police sources said on Sunday.
Saturday’s incident in Kauru district underscores ongoing security challenges in the region, and occurred days after security services rescued all 166 worshippers taken during incidents at two churches elsewhere in Kaduna.
Such incidents have led to responses from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has alleged that Nigeria’s government is not protecting Christians, a claim Abuja denies. U.S. forces targeted what they described as terrorist locations in northwestern Nigeria on December 25.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan named the kidnapped clergyman as Nathaniel Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku, and said 10 other people were abducted. However, the police reported a different figure.
Three residents were killed during the attack, which began at about 3:20 a.m. (0220 GMT), the diocese said in a statement.
A Kaduna police spokesperson confirmed the incident, but said that five people in total had been abducted, in contrast to the church’s count, and that the three people killed were members of the security forces.
“Security agents exchanged gunfire with the bandits, killed some of them, and unfortunately, two soldiers and a police officer lost their lives,” he said.
Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday that Nigeria’s security situation was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. It said the government had shown “gross incompetence” and was not adequately protecting civilians as gunmen continue to kill, abduct, and threaten rural communities across several northern states.
A presidential spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.
Pope Leo, during his weekly address to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, expressed solidarity with the victims of recent attacks in Nigeria.
“I hope that the competent authorities will continue to act with determination to ensure the security and protection of every citizen’s life,” Leo said.
