Overview
- Gunmen struck two churches in Ariko village during Easter services on Sunday, killing at least five worshippers and abducting many others, according to local officials and multiple news outlets.
- The Nigerian Army said troops rushed to the scene, fought the attackers, recovered five bodies, and forced the gunmen to abandon 31 captives, citing blood trails that suggested casualties among the assailants.
- Christian leaders and the Ariko community group rejected the army’s account, saying no one was freed and that families remain in contact with the kidnappers, with burials for several victims held on Monday.
- Authorities deployed more troops and said pursuit operations continue, as reports from Benue and Katsina over the Easter period detailed additional killings and raids in a region plagued by bandits and jihadist-linked groups.
- Residents described long delays in help reaching the remote area, blaming weak phone service that slows distress calls, which deepens fear, fuels disputes over casualty figures, and leaves families waiting for verified news.