A somber atmosphere enveloped the Arikon community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State following a brutal attack on two churches during an Easter Sunday service. Bandits, reportedly arriving on over 20 motorcycles, surrounded The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and St. Augustine Catholic Church, opening fire indiscriminately on worshippers. This coordinated assault resulted in the tragic deaths of at least six individuals identified as Tanko Haruna, Waziri Agunu, Aminu Soba, Joseph Audu, Adamu Jatau from the ECWA church, and one worshipper from the Catholic Church who attempted to flee. Subsequent reports, including those from SaharaReporters and Councillor Mark Bawa, indicated that the death toll was at least seven. In addition to the fatalities, at least 29 worshippers were abducted and taken into the bush.

Among those kidnapped were Garba Tanko, his wife Lami Garba, their daughter Rachel Garba, and their grandchild Moses Yakubu. Other abductees included Rahab Usman and her daughter Victoria Rahab, Sunday Ayuba, Dantani Alhaji, his wife Mrs. Mary Dantani, and their three daughters: Helen, Rejoice, and Ahmadu. Following the invasion, a security source confirmed that the bandits' swift and violent actions caused widespread panic, leading some worshipers to try and escape, only to be met with gunfire. The attack left the entire community deserted, with many villagers reportedly fleeing to neighboring towns like Katari, Jere, and Kachia.

In response to the grave incident, Kaduna State Police Commissioner, CP Rabiu Mohammed, along with Sector 4 Commander of the Nigerian Army, Col. IR ADOM, reportedly led a convoy of over 30 vehicles to assess the situation. However, the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Hassan Mansur, had not commented on the incident at the time of initial reports.

A significant controversy subsequently erupted over the fate of the abducted worshippers. The Nigerian Army had announced on Sunday that its troops successfully foiled a terrorist attack and rescued 31 victims abducted during the Easter church service in Ariko village. The Army stated that soldiers, acting on a distress call and supported by local residents, pursued the attackers, engaged them in a fierce firefight, and overwhelmed them with superior firepower. This pressure, according to the military, forced the terrorists to abandon 31 hostages, including one injured victim who was said to be receiving medical attention. The Army also confirmed the recovery of the remains of five victims who had already been killed, asserting that the fleeing terrorists likely sustained significant casualties.

However, these claims were swiftly and unequivocally rejected by the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA), a community organization in Ariko. In a statement issued on Monday by its President, J.D. Ariko, KUDA described the Nigerian Army's reports of a successful rescue operation as "entirely false and misleading." The association categorically stated that the 31 persons allegedly rescued were still in captivity. The community leader revealed that families of the victims remained in direct communication with the kidnappers, who had confirmed that the abducted worshippers were alive and being held at their camp in the bush. This direct contradiction, KUDA emphasized, invalidated any assertion of a successful rescue operation.

KUDA expressed deep concern over the dissemination of unverified information, warning that such reports could inflict further trauma on affected families, create false hope, cause confusion within the community, and erode public trust in official communications. The association called on authorities to prioritize the release of only verified and accurate updates, especially on sensitive security matters involving human lives. Reaffirming that "the safe return of the abducted persons remains our utmost priority," KUDA urged all stakeholders to intensify genuine and coordinated efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the captives. As of the time of reporting, the Nigerian Army had not issued an official response to the community's strong rebuttal.