Overview
- Gunmen stormed the parish residence at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku, Kauru district of Kaduna before dawn on Saturday.
- The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan says three residents were killed and eleven people were abducted, including parish priest Father Nathaniel Asuwaye.
- Kaduna police confirm the attack but report five abductees including the priest and say the dead were two soldiers and a police officer after a firefight.
- The assault follows the rescue of 166 worshippers taken in January church attacks in Kaduna and a Feb. 3 massacre that left more than 150 dead in Kwara state.
- Amnesty International criticized the government’s handling of the crisis as deteriorating, and the U.S. has conducted December airstrikes and deployed a small team to support Nigerian security efforts.