KEY POINTS

• Gunmen killed three people and abducted Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye during a pre-dawn attack in Kaduna State.

• Church and police accounts differ on casualty figures, but confirm security forces engaged the attackers, losing personnel in the process.

• Rights groups and global leaders, including the Pope, have condemned the growing insecurity and urged Nigerian authorities to protect civilians.

Gunmen have killed three people and abducted a Catholic priest along with several others in a coordinated early-morning attack in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna State, according to church officials and police authorities.

The attack occurred at about 3:20 a.m. on Saturday in Kauru Local Government Area, when armed assailants stormed the residence of a Catholic clergyman, opening fire and kidnapping occupants before fleeing the scene.

The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan identified the abducted priest as Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku.

In a statement, the catholic diocese said three residents were killed during the raid and 10 people abducted, including the priest.

However, Kaduna State Police Command offered a slightly different account. A police spokesperson confirmed the attack but said five people were abducted, while the three fatalities were security personnel who died during a gun battle with the attackers.

According to the police, security forces engaged the gunmen, killing some of them in the exchange. “Unfortunately, two soldiers and one police officer lost their lives in the process,” the spokesperson said.

Attack follows recent church abductions

The incident comes just days after Nigerian security forces rescued 166 worshippers abducted during separate attacks on two churches in other parts of Kaduna State, underscoring the persistent threat posed by armed groups operating across the region.

Northern Nigeria has been plagued by years of insecurity linked to banditry, kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on rural communities, with religious institutions increasingly targeted.

Reacting to the latest attack, Amnesty International described Nigeria’s security situation as “increasingly getting out of hand,” accusing the government of failing to protect civilians.

The rights group said gunmen continue to kill, abduct, and terrorize rural populations across several northern states with little accountability, calling for urgent and effective action to halt the violence.

A spokesperson for Nigeria’s presidency could not immediately be reached for comment.

International attention and US criticism

The attacks have drawn international scrutiny. US President Donald Trump has previously accused Nigeria’s government of failing to adequately protect Christian communities, an allegation Nigerian authorities have repeatedly denied.

Tensions escalated further in December when US forces carried out strikes on what they described as terrorist targets in northwestern Nigeria.

At the Vatican, Pope Leo addressed the situation during his weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square, expressing solidarity with victims of violence 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,” the Pope said.