Suspected bandits have killed three residents and abducted a Catholic priest, Rev Fr Nathaniel Asuwaye, along with 10 villagers, in a violent raid on Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Residents said the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the quiet agrarian settlement in the dead of night, firing repeatedly as people fled in panic. The gunmen reportedly moved straight to the parish house of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where Fr Asuwaye serves as parish priest, before sweeping through nearby homes and seizing more victims.

The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Rev Fr Jacob Shanet, confirmed the abduction, describing it as a devastating blow to the local church and community. He appealed to Christians and people of goodwill to pray for the safe release of the priest and other captives, and for comfort for families of those killed.

Church officials identified the three deceased as Jacob Dan’azumi, Maitala Kaura and Alhaji Kusari, all residents of Karku. Community members said the men were caught in the crossfire as the bandits shot sporadically to instil fear and prevent resistance.

According to the diocese, the attackers broke into the priest’s residence and several surrounding houses, forcing occupants out at gunpoint before marching them into the surrounding bush. The incident has left the community traumatised, with many villagers fleeing to neighbouring settlements in search of safety.

The Northern Christian Association of Nigeria condemned the attack, warning that the repeated targeting of clergy and rural dwellers underscores a deepening security crisis. Its chairman, Rev Joseph Hayab, said the kidnapping of priests and ordinary citizens had become “unbearable” and urged authorities to act decisively to protect vulnerable communities.

Security sources in Kaduna said a combined team of soldiers and police personnel was deployed to the Kauru axis shortly after the incident. They reported an exchange of gunfire with the assailants and expressed confidence that the gang was still within the general area, though no arrests or rescues had been officially confirmed.

Local leaders and church authorities are calling for intensified patrols, better intelligence gathering and sustained operations against armed groups that have terrorised rural parts of Kaduna and neighbouring states, leaving a trail of deaths, mass abductions and displacement.