Bandits, who attacked three churches in Ariko community, in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have demanded N1 billion before releasing 37 Church worshippers abducted during the raid on Easter Sunday Eve.
The incident happened on April 5, 2026, when armed men stormed ECWA, Baptist, and Catholic churches in the area. During the attack, five worshippers were killed while 37 others were taken away. The victims have now spent about 11 days in captivity.
Although, earlier, there were claims by the military and the Kachia Local Government chairman, Dr Manzo Maigari, that the abducted worshippers had been rescued, leaders of the Ariko community later rejected the statement and insisted the victims were still missing.
The president of the Kuturmi Development Association, Dr Joseph David Ariko, confirmed that the kidnappers later reached out and demanded a ransom of N1 billion, allegedly through a community member identified as Samaila Alhaji
He explained that the contact was made through a phone call on Tuesday and not through any video circulating online. According to him, the call was placed to a community member identified as Samaila Alhaji.
He added that the amount demanded is far beyond what the victims’ families and the community can raise, noting that most of the residents are small-scale farmers who have already been affected by repeated attacks and loss of livelihood.
Ariko called on government authorities and security agencies to act quickly to secure the release of the abducted worshippers and restore calm in the area.
A former media aide to late Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Reuben Buhari, also confirmed the ransom demand on his social media page, describing the situation as painful for the affected rural community struggling to cope with poverty and repeated kidnappings.
