At approximately 7 am on Sunday, a large group of bandits on motorcycles (reportedly over 30) attacked worshippers and locals in the Rubu general area of Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State, beginning from Ungwan Fada, moving into Ungwan Turawa, then Ungwan Makama, and finally Rubu village. In Rubu, the bandits attacked the Maranatha Baptist Church and St. Moses Catholic Church, firing indiscriminately as worshippers gathered for early morning services. The attacks resulted in three deaths—Peter Madaki (Ward Head of Ungwan Fada), Elisha Ezekiel (Resident of Ungwan Fada), and Ali Zamani (Youth Leader of Rubu)—and two injuries: Aniro Mai and an unidentified woman. An unspecified number of worshippers and locals were abducted, with reports indicating over 30 people taken. The attackers looted shops and carted away valuables. A female worshipper had one of her ears cut off by the attackers.
19 Jun 2022 · Ungwan Fada, Ungwan Turawa, Ungwan Makama, Rubu, Kajuru, Kaduna
Deaths
3
Injured
2
Kidnapped
36
Total casualties
5
Perpetrators
Bandits
Response
Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Balarabe condemned the attack, expressed condolences, and prayed for victims and their families.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Religious targeting of Christian worshippers in rural Kaduna, combining killings with mass abductions.
Trajectory
The attack on churches in Kajuru LGA was part of a sustained wave of violence targeting Christian worshippers in southern Kaduna. The attack came just two weeks after the 5 June 2022 massacre in the same LGA, which killed 32 people. The pattern of attacking churches during Sunday services reflected a deliberate strategy of religious targeting, designed to instill fear and force displacement. The ransom demand of N100 million for the release of over 30 abducted worshippers underscored the financial dimension of the banditry crisis.
Cycle notes
The attack on churches in Kajuru LGA directly echoed the 5 June 2022 massacre in the same LGA, and the 27 April 2020 attack on Rubu village, where houses were burnt – all part of a sustained pattern of banditry targeting rural communities in Kajuru LGA. The method – coordinated attacks on multiple villages and churches during Sunday services – reflected a pattern that had been observed in the area. The abduction of 36 worshippers and the demand for ransom echoed the 20 April 2021 Greenfield University kidnapping and the 11 December 2020 Kankara school abduction, reflecting the financial demands of bandit groups. The subsequent release of hostages after ransom negotiations echoed the 26 December 2021 Sum Pyem of Gindiri abduction and the 11 July 2021 Kajuru Emir abduction.
Pattern
Church Attack
Related — Armed Attack
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