Toyyibat Qasim
Amnesty International has raised the alarm over the continued captivity of 37 Christian worshippers abducted by gunmen during Easter Sunday church services in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, demanding urgent government action to secure their release.
The victims, who were kidnapped on April 5, 2026, during coordinated attacks on churches in Ariko community, Kachia Local Government Area, have spent 212 days in the custody of their abductors, according to the human rights organisation.
Amnesty International described their prolonged detention as a disturbing indication of the Nigerian authorities’ failure to protect vulnerable communities from persistent attacks, killings and mass abductions.
The organisation also disclosed fresh cases of deaths among people abducted from Awon community in Southern Kaduna, raising concerns over the alleged brutal conditions under which victims are being held.
According to Amnesty International, one of the abductees, Joy Samuel, died on August 28 after reportedly giving birth under deplorable conditions in captivity. Her newborn baby also died.
The organisation further reported that a 34-year-old man, Yusuf Bawa, and his five-year-old son also died after allegedly suffering severe illness and hunger while being held by the gunmen.
It expressed concern that several abducted persons were being subjected to starvation, physical assault, threats of execution and other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment.
“While in captivity, the abducted persons are repeatedly threatened with death, starved, women and girls raped, beaten and dehumanised in so many ways,” the organisation said.
Amnesty International warned that the persistent attacks, kidnappings for ransom and killings across Southern Kaduna had created an atmosphere of fear, with serious consequences for the livelihoods and social activities of residents.
It said insecurity had continued to disrupt farming, education and other essential activities, as residents struggled to access their farms, schools and public spaces for fear of being attacked or abducted.
The organisation noted that the deteriorating security situation had left many communities vulnerable to repeated assaults, displacement and loss of livelihoods.
“The climate of fear is affecting agricultural activities, education and other aspects of the social lives of the people,” it stated.
Southern Kaduna has remained a hotspot of recurring attacks on rural settlements, with residents repeatedly reporting killings, mass abductions and destruction of property.
The latest alarm by Amnesty International comes amid continuing concerns over the activities of armed groups operating across Kaduna State, where communities, travellers and places of worship have been targeted in successive attacks.
Families of abducted residents have also faced prolonged uncertainty, with many struggling to secure the release of their loved ones.
Amnesty International called on the Federal Government to immediately intensify efforts to rescue the 37 worshippers and other people being held by armed groups across the country.
It urged the authorities to fulfil their constitutional and international human rights obligations by prioritising the safe return of the victims.
“The Nigerian government must deliver on its national and international human rights obligations by immediately redoubling efforts to ensure the safe release and return of not only the 37 worshippers abducted in Kachia LGA, but also all people held captive by gunmen across Nigeria,” the organisation said.
The rights group also demanded stronger measures to protect vulnerable communities, prevent further attacks and ensure that those responsible for killings, abductions and other alleged abuses are brought to justice.
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