Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Bandits who attacked the Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Easter Sunday have demanded a staggering N1 billion ransom for the release of residents abducted during the assault, a demand that local youth leaders have described as outrageous and impossible for the rural community to meet.
In a statement issued on Monday, April 20, 2026, by the Concerned Ariko Youths, signed by Chairman Linus Audu and Secretary Kefas Likita, the group revealed the ransom demand while also disclosing the harrowing details of those still in captivity. According to the statement, the victims include two elderly blind men, two women whose husbands were killed during the attack alongside their children, several young children, two critically ill women, and entire families comprising husbands, wives, and their children. “In the course of what should have been a solemn period of worship and reflection, armed bandits invaded our community, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and the abduction of several residents,” the statement read.
The attack occurred on April 5, 2026, when heavily armed bandits stormed three churches in Ariko community during Easter Sunday services. Multiple news reports confirmed that the attackers targeted the ECWA Church, St. Augustine Catholic Church, and a Baptist church, firing sporadically and pursuing fleeing worshippers.
The assault resulted in the deaths of at least five worshippers, though some community sources have placed the death toll higher. The bandits also reportedly carted away church offerings collected during the services. In the immediate aftermath, the Nigerian Army claimed that its troops had successfully rescued 31 of the abducted victims.
However, the Ariko community, under the aegis of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association, swiftly dismissed the Army’s claim as false and misleading. The community insisted that all abducted persons remained in captivity, a position that was later corroborated by civil society groups and a statement from the Concerned Ariko Youths.
Two weeks after the attack, the abductors made their ransom demand public. A viral video obtained by Daily Trust showed the victims assembled at a hideout, with a bandit spokesperson speaking for two minutes and 22 seconds in Hausa. While the bandits in the video threatened to kill the victims if families failed to pay, they did not explicitly mention the ransom amount in the footage.
However, a dependable source told Daily Trust that the bandits had called a mediator using one of the victims’ phones to demand N1 billion, threatening to kill everyone in captivity. The bandits’ spokesperson in the video offered a justification for the abduction, claiming the worshippers were abducted for allegedly conniving with the Army to kill herders who had been rearing cattle around the community since the previous year. This claim has been vehemently denied by community leaders.
The N1 billion ransom demand has plunged the Ariko community into a deeper state of distress. The Concerned Ariko Youths emphasized that the amount is far beyond the reach of the rural community, which has historically relied on communal efforts and contributions to secure the release of abducted relatives. “The situation is further worsened by the demand of an outrageous ransom of one billion naira, an amount far beyond the reach of this community,” the statement added. “It is neither reasonable nor humane to expect affected families, already devastated by loss and trauma, to meet such a demand.” The group warned that the continued captivity of the victims represents a violation of their fundamental human rights, including the right to life, dignity, and personal liberty.
The attack and the subsequent ransom demand have drawn widespread condemnation and exposed the deep security challenges still plaguing Kaduna State. In response to the incident, the Kaduna State Government, led by Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Sule Shu’aibu, visited the affected community in the company of the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, the Commissioner of Police, and the Director of State Services. The government strongly condemned the attack and assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to apprehend those responsible.
However, civil society groups have accused authorities of misinformation and suppression of facts. Over 31 civil society organisations, under the umbrella of Civil Society for Good Governance and Accountability, condemned the killings and abductions, rejecting the Army’s initial rescue claim. They noted that families were still in direct contact with the abductors, who had confirmed the victims were alive but being held in camps. The coalition also condemned the suspension of the Speaker of the Kachia Local Government Legislative Council, Mark Bawa, for speaking about the attack, describing it as an assault on democracy.
The abduction in Ariko is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern of insecurity in Southern Kaduna. The Concerned Ariko Youths noted that rural communities have repeatedly come under attack by armed groups engaging in kidnapping and killings. The crisis in Ariko also coincides with a similar mass abduction in Borno State, where Boko Haram insurgents are demanding N5 billion for the release of 416 women and children abducted from Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area.
Together, these incidents have sparked fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, with coordinated ransom demands totalling N6 billion. The Federal Government has yet to issue a formal response to the Ariko abduction, but the Concerned Ariko Youths have called on the Kachia Local Government Authority, the Kaduna State Government, and the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive action. “We urge swift, transparent, and effective action to rescue the abducted victims unconditionally and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the group stated. “Continued delay will only deepen the suffering of affected families and erode public confidence.” As the two-week mark since the attack passes, the fate of the abducted residents remains unknown, and the community waits in anguish.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments