Kaduna Community Says Easter Attacks Linked to Refusal to Negotiate with Bandits

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

Leaders and residents of the Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State have said that the Easter Sunday attacks on churches and villagers were linked to their refusal to negotiate with armed bandits operating in the region. The community’s stance, rooted in moral principle and resistance to informal peace deals, has highlighted the complex challenges of insecurity, community survival strategies, and government protection in parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

According to community leaders, Ariko had rejected proposals from neighbouring areas and local intermediaries who encouraged the village to enter negotiations with bandit groups in exchange for peace or protection. The traditional ruler and Village Head of Ariko, Jashua Doka, said those appeals came from individuals he claimed were aligned with militants. He emphasised that negotiating with armed groups was contrary to his conscience and faith, arguing that yielding to such overtures would carry spiritual consequences. He said, “If I negotiate with these terrorists and God calls me tomorrow, what will I tell Him? I fear God.”

The Ariko leader said the community’s refusal to engage with bandits has made it a target. He alleged that fighters who have negotiated with neighbouring villages now use Ariko as a transit point, then turn on its residents. This dynamic, he said, has contributed to the village’s vulnerability even as surrounding communities that have struck informal deals appear to draw less immediate violence.

The narrative from Ariko reflects wider tensions in southern Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria where communities grapple with how to respond to persistent insecurity. Some rural areas have experimented with local ceasefire agreements, ransom payments, or informal pacts with armed groups to prevent attacks. Critics, however, argue such arrangements can legitimise criminal actors, weaken collective resistance to violence, and create long-term dependencies or protection rackets that undermine the state’s authority.

In the case of Ariko, community leaders said the decision to resist negotiations was also informed by frustration with government protection efforts. Doka said pleas for increased security deployments had gone unanswered, and that appeals to authorities to arrest and prosecute alleged collaborators were not acted upon. He claimed individuals arrested for collaborating with suspected bandits were later released, which he believes emboldened violent elements. “There are names of people who negotiated with these terrorists that were submitted to the authorities in Kaduna. Some were arrested, but to our surprise, they were released. Now they mock us, saying they are back,” he said.

The context for these claims includes a bloody Easter Sunday assault in Ariko where suspected bandits attacked two Christian worship centres — First ECWA Church and St Augustine Catholic Church — in the early hours of the celebration. Multiple worshippers were killed, and dozens were abducted. Initial reports suggested the Nigerian Army had rescued some hostages, but community leaders later denied claims that dozens had been freed, saying all remain in captivity after communication with their captors confirmed the victims were still held at an undisclosed location.

In the days following the Easter violence, conflicting accounts emerged. Security agencies initially reported that some abductees had been recovered after operations, but leaders from local community associations said those reports were false and misleading, emphasising that families of the abducted are still in contact with the kidnappers, who have confirmed the whereabouts of the victims.

Aside from Ariko’s experience, broader Easter weekend violence was reported across northern Nigeria. In neighbouring Benue State, gunmen attacked parts of Mbalom and adjacent communities in Gwer East Local Government Area, killing a reported 17 residents, burning homes and forcing many to flee. Human rights organisations have criticised governmental responses, saying the repeated violence reflects deeper systemic failures to protect rural populations from armed groups.

The refusal by Ariko’s leaders to negotiate with bandits has resonated with many observers as both a moral stance and a critique of existing security strategies. Yet analysts warn that without effective state protection and justice mechanisms — including credible intelligence, rapid security response, and prosecution of suspects — rural communities remain vulnerable regardless of their chosen strategy.

As families of the abducted await news of their safe return and communities mourn relatives killed or displaced, the Ariko situation underscores the wider challenges Nigeria faces in securing its rural areas. Discussions around negotiation with armed groups, once seen by some as a pragmatic measure, are now being weighed against calls for stronger institutional responses to prevent cyclical violence.

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