Sectarian Killings of Christians in February Rises to 149
By Mike Odeh James
(Kaduna) Americans are getting wall-to-wall coverage of the abduction drama of Nancy Guthrie, but the one kidnapping they likely won’t hear about involves a Catholic Priest snatched from his rectory in Nigeria last Saturday morning. That would be Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye who serves a parish inside the town of Kafanchan in Southern Kaduna.
It’s been called a killing zone in Nigeria’s war against Christians.
Fr. Nathaniel was among 11 abducted by Fulani terrorists in Karku village in Southern Kaduna before dawn Saturday, killing three people in an assault that highlights Nigeria’s escalating security crisis.
The number of killings of Christians by Islamist terrorists since the beginning of February alone is today 149. (TruthNigeria tracks all Nigerian terrorist attacks in a new interactive map online.)
The raid on the Christian-majority community was launched between 3:00 and 3:20 a.m. on February 7, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen stormed homes, firing sporadically to terrorize residents before vanishing into surrounding forests.
Moses Damallan, 56, a Karku resident, described the operation as “coordinated and deliberate,” mirroring previous attacks by armed Fulani groups terrorizing Southern Kaduna.
Priest Targeted in Systematic Sweep
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed attackers specifically targeted Rev. Fr. Nathaniel, the communion priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
Ten additional villagers—all Christians—were abducted alongside Fr. Asuwaye in what witnesses called a “calculated operation.” The terrorists moved systematically through Karku, selecting victims house by house.
Reuters confirmed three security personnel—two Nigerian Army soldiers and one police officer—died pursuing the attackers through forests surrounding Karku, not during rescue operations as initially misreported.
The Kaduna State Police Command acknowledged casualties but provided no details on arrests or victim recovery.
Broader Terror Campaign
Kauru County is located along forest corridors linking Kaduna, Plateau, and Niger States—routes exploited by Fulani militia for movement and hostage detention.
Former captives identify the forest enclave of the notorious Rijana area in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA), as a major detention site where survivors recall to TruthNigeria starvation, systematic abuse, and prolonged captivity. Some witnessed executions of captives whose families couldn’t meet ransom demands. Other hostage enclaves have been identified in Kachia and Kajuru LGA’s where hundreds of kidnap victims remain.
Rev. Zephaniah Jibril, an ECWA pastor held 85 days in Rijana, testified he counted 150 to 200 hostages detained simultaneously across multiple armed camps.
Attack Follows Mass Church Kidnapping
The Karku raid came just two days after authorities took delivery of 166 Christian worshippers freed February 5 without explanation, following their January 18 abduction from Kurmin Wali village.
Terrorists attacked three churches simultaneously during Sunday services, abducting between 177 and 183 worshippers, according to reconciled government and Reuters figures.
Kidnappers demanded approximately $18,000 and 17 motorcycles. Governor Uba Sani claimed no ransom was paid but offered no explanation as to why or how 166 captives were freed after 18 days without payment.
Kidnapping Revenues Sharply Ascending
TruthNigeria interviews with from community leaders in one Local Governance Areas of Southern Kaduna documents accelerated kidnapping numbers since the Kaduna governor negotiated an amnesty agreement with Fulani criminal gangs in late 2024.
In 2024 there were 220 abductions in Kauru, a remote LGA that borders Plateau State. Yet, during the three-month span from November 2025 through January 2026, kidnapping gangs linked to Fulani ethnic militia abducted 138 Christians and killed 16 in attacks on villages. The kidnappers are on track to quadruple their abductions in 2026, and they will likely take in at least $213,000 in ransoms in Kauru alone.
However, the impact on hand-to-mouth farmers of high ransom demands contributes to bankrupting thousands of farm families in Southern Kaduna. Ransom demands range from $208 to $2,083 per victim. For subsistence farmers earning $30-$60 monthly, even minimal ransoms represent two to five years of total household income. Christian survivors of the hostage camps return home traumatized and destitute.
Zero Prosecutions Despite Mass Abductions
A comprehensive review of Reuters, AP News, and Nigerian outlets reveals no verified arrests or prosecutions linked to Kauru or Kajuru church kidnappings.
Kaduna Police announced 580 suspects arrested December 2024–February 2025, including 20 “suspected bandits,” but none connected to mass church abductions or Saturday’s attack.
No detention locations were disclosed. No suspects named. No court proceedings announced.
Nearly 1,000 documented abductions over two years have produced zero verified prosecutions.
The Accountability Question
The February 7 attack represents not an anomaly but the latest chapter in systematic assault against predominantly Christian farming communities.
For international audiences—U.S. policymakers, European human rights institutions, global media—credibility demands precision: verified victim counts, accurate financial data, clear attribution.
The question is no longer whether Christian communities face systematic assault, because the documentation is overwhelming, according to experts consulted by TruthNigeria. The question is whether Nigerian authorities will arrest, prosecute, and imprison those responsible, or whether the cycle of attack, ransom, release, and renewed attack continues indefinitely.
As of Sunday morning, Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye and ten Karku residents remain captive in Southern Kaduna’s forests.
Mike Odeh James is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
