Bandits Kill Four, Abduct ECWA Pastor and 11 Others in Kaduna Attack

Four people were killed and 12 others, including an ECWA pastor, were abducted when suspected Fulani armed men attacked three communities in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday night.

The assailants reportedly invaded Jantsauni, Mai Doki, and Maiyamma—suburban settlements around Yarkasuwa in Kurama Chiefdom—around 10 p.m., firing indiscriminately as residents fled for safety. Among those kidnapped was Rev. Istifanus Dunga of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA).

Confirming the incident, the National Publicity Secretary of the Federated Kurama Association, Pius Agaji Kyauta, said the communities were devastated and in urgent need of security reinforcement. He described the situation as dire, noting that the attackers operated unhindered, leaving destruction and grief in their wake.

A resident recounted that his father and younger sister were taken away, adding that the assailants, numbering in their hundreds, surrounded targeted homes. “You dare not run; they’ll shoot. If you stay inside, they’ll drag you out,” he said.

Those killed were identified as young men aged between 27 and 30. As of the time of reporting, no ransom demands had been made. The communities remain in mourning as residents call for both government and spiritual intervention to end the recurrent violence in the area.