Nigeria's army rescues 31 hostages after church attack

Abuja:  Nigeria's army said on Sunday it had rescued 31 worshippers taken hostage during an attack on a church in northwestern Kaduna state.

"Through a swift response, (troops) have successfully foiled a terrorist attack leading to the rescue of 31 civilians abducted during an Easter church service" in Ariko village, the military said in a statement.

It added that the troops engaged the attackers in a "firefight," forcing the "terrorists to abandon 31 hostages."

Local media reported that a Catholic and an evangelical church were attacked.

The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria for Kaduna state, ​Caleb Maaji, also said that assailants targeted two churches in Ariko village on ⁠Sunday.

​He added that ​seven people were killed and several others were abducted. The military, however, said five victims were found dead at the scene.

The attack in Ariko village, located around 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of the capital, Abuja, took place despite the police chief ordering a "massive security deployment" including at places of worship during Easter. 

Rising violence in Nigeria
For years, several states in northwest and central Nigeria, including Kaduna, have been terrorised by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, which carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and ⁠village ​raids.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has continued to see a rise in violence despite the army beefing up security in the region to combat the groups.

In January, for instance, gunmen attacked churches during mass in Kaduna and rounded up more than 170 worshippers.

The security situation has drawn the attention of US President Donald Trump, who has characterised the violence in Nigeria as a "genocide" of Christians.

Nigeria, home to over 250 ethnic groups, is roughly divided between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south, with significant mixing in central regions.