Eight of 37 Christians abducted at Easter reported dead in Nigeria

People kidnapped in Nigeria are being held in a camp. Photo: Facebook Reuben Buhari

At least eight of the 37 hostages taken from Ariko village, Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) of Southern Kaduna, Nigeria, on April 6, 2026, during an Easter worship service have died in captivity, reports TruthNigeria, citing a former hostage and humanitarian workers.

According to the source, the kidnapped men are being held in one of the camps in the Rijana area, where residents from other settlements are also detained. A survivor who managed to escape and is currently in hospital recounted that the captives were kept in the open air, given almost no food or water, forbidden to speak, and subjected to beatings. He stated that dysentery and fever were common illnesses among the hostages, with virtually no medical assistance available.

Particularly heart-breaking was the account of a woman who managed to escape with her three daughters after approximately six months in captivity. During the escape, her four-year-old daughter died from sickness and starvation. According to the former hostage, the mother and sisters carried the child's body with them until they reached a community where they could finally receive help.

It is reported that the kidnapping of the 37 Christians took place during an Easter service on April 6. Former Nigerian Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung stated that at least eight people from Ariko and neighboring communities may have died after several months in captivity. 

As the UOJ reported, on August 10 it became known about a series of attacks on Christians in Plateau State in central Nigeria, in which three believers were killed within a week. 

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