By our correspondent 6.4.2026
Claims reportedly made by the Nigeria Army it rescued 31 Easter Sunday worshipers kidnapped by bandits in Ariko, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has been shot down by community members.
According to J.D Ariko who is the Kuturmi Unity Development Association president, the claims made by the army are false, stressing that people kidnapped from the community from three churches are still missing and the community have been in contact with the gunmen who took them
“Our attention has been drawn to claims that the Nigerian Army has successfully rescued 31 persons abducted during the Easter service in Ariko. We wish to categorically state that this claim is entirely false,” the KUDA president said in a statement.
Ariko expressed concern over the spread of unverified information, warning that such reports could mislead the public, create false hope for affected families, and undermine trust in official communication.
He called on authorities to ensure that only verified and accurate updates are released, particularly on sensitive security matters.
“The safe return of the abducted persons remains our utmost priority. We call on all stakeholders to intensify sincere and coordinated efforts to secure their immediate and unconditional release,” he added.
On Sunday the bandits sneaked into the community targeting three Churches from where they kidnapped unspecified number of people.
But according to Nigeria Army headquarters the troops responded to distress calls from the community and together with some locals they went after the gunmen.
“The swift response of the troops followed a distress call reporting the abduction of worshippers during an Easter service at an ECWA Church in Ariko Village,” said the statement posted on X by the Army.
“The troops, on receipt of the information, promptly mobilised to the scene. With the support and guidance of members of the Ariko community, they advanced in pursuit of the fleeing terrorists and engaged the criminals in a fierce fight, overwhelming them with superior firepower.”