In the early hours of Monday, armed men kidnapped Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Silas, the parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church in Zambina, Kauru Local Government Area. The abduction was discovered when the priest failed to appear for morning mass. A statement from the Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, signed by Chancellor Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Uchechukwu Okolo, confirmed the incident, noting that Silas had been taken from the parish rectory. The diocese urged prayers and said it would use “every legitimate means to ensure his quick and safe release.”
4 Jul 2022 · Zambina, Kauru, Kaduna
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Kidnapped
1
Total casualties
0
Perpetrators
Unidentified Armed Actors
Response
Confirmed by church and local sources; no immediate security intervention documented.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Banditry, ransom economy, religious targeting
Trajectory
Continued targeting of Catholic clergy in Kaduna, often abducted from parish communities.
Cycle notes
The kidnapping of Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Silas in Kaduna State reflects a broader and well-documented pattern of targeted attacks on Catholic clergy in southern Kaduna. This pattern is clearly illustrated by the abduction and subsequent death of Rev. Fr. Joseph Akete Bako on 8 March 2022 in Kaduna State, who was taken from his residence and later confirmed dead in captivity. It is further reinforced by the killing of Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo on 25 June 2022 in the Kujama area of Kaduna State, where he was attacked on his farm by armed assailants.
Pattern
Targeted abductions of clergy
Related — Kidnapping
Terrorists abducted eight people in Dansadau, Maru LGA, Zamfara State, disguising themselves in hijabs to evade detection.
Bandits abducted five worshippers and injured one during an attack in Maradawa community, Gusau LGA, Zamfara State.
At about 5:00 p.m., Bandits invaded Mada community in Zamfara State, firing shots and abducting three residents. A few hours later, another attack was launched at Gidan Bangi, where 12 people were killed.