Bandits Abduct Catholic Priest and 10 Others, Kill Three in Fresh Kaduna Attack
In a tragic escalation of the security crisis in Kaduna State, suspected bandits launched a violent early-morning raid on the Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area on Saturday, February 7, 2026. The attackers abducted Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, along with ten other residents. The assault resulted in the deaths of three individuals, identified by community leaders as Mr. Jacob Dan’azumi, Mr. Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari, as the armed group overran the village in what witnesses described as a coordinated and professional invasion.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed the abduction in a statement issued by the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet, expressing profound sadness and calling for urgent prayers for the safe return of the victims. According to the report, the gunmen stormed the priest’s residence at approximately 3:20 a.m. (WAT), firing sporadically to subdue the community before whisking their captives away into the nearby forests. This latest incident highlights the persistent “security of life” challenges in the Northwest, where rural communities remain vulnerable to predatory bandit gangs despite ongoing military interventions.
From a macroeconomic perspective, the recurring violence in Kaduna State continues to stifle the region’s productive capacity, particularly in the agricultural and mining sub-sectors. For an economy aiming for a $1 trillion GDP, the “insecurity tax” paid by rural producers through ransoms and the abandonment of farmlands remains a significant drag on national growth. The persistent targeting of religious leaders and community icons also exacerbates the “social trust” deficit, making it increasingly difficult to attract long-term investment into the state’s infrastructure and industrial zones.
Historically, Kaduna has been a flashpoint for both sectarian tensions and banditry, with 2025 and early 2026 seeing a resurgence in mass abductions and attacks on clergy. Just days prior to this attack, the state government had celebrated the release of over 160 worshippers previously kidnapped in Kajuru, but the Karku invasion serves as a grim reminder that the threat remains pervasive. Security analysts suggest that the “asymmetry of warfare” in the region requires a more robust “intelligence-led” approach to disrupt the logistics of these gangs before they strike vulnerable centers of worship and residence.
The fiscal cost of these security lapses is also reflected in the increased budgetary allocations for internal security operations, which often divert funds from critical “human capital” projects in education and health. As the 2026 fiscal year progresses, the Federal Government is under mounting pressure to demonstrate the effectiveness of its “Renewed Hope” security architecture. The kidnapping of Fr. Asuwaye and the killing of three residents in Kauru will likely intensify calls for a decentralized policing model or the deployment of specialized rapid-response units to the state’s volatile border regions.
As of the time of this report, the Kaduna State Police Command has reportedly launched a manhunt for the assailants, though no arrests have been made. The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other civil society groups have urged the government to move beyond “condemnation” to “confrontation,” ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice and that the abducted victims are reunited with their families. The resolution of this specific crisis will be a key indicator of the state’s ability to protect its most essential social and religious institutions during a period of high economic and political sensitivity.
