A heated controversy is shaking northern Nigeria after an attack on a church in the village of Ariko, located in the Kachia district of Kaduna State.
On Sunday, the Nigerian army claimed to have rescued 31 civilians abducted by armed men during the assault, while also reporting five deaths at the scene.
This version of events was, however, firmly denied on Monday by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the main representative organization for Christians in the country. Its president for the northern region, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, disputed the army's statements, asserting that no releases had taken place at this stage.
The military is doing its best to secure their return, but it is not accurate to claim that the victims have been rescued,” he said. He also denounced what he considers counterproductive communication, arguing that the dissemination of inaccurate information risks fostering impunity for armed groups.
On the ground, testimonies gathered from residents corroborate this account. The local development association in Kurtumi described the military version as "completely false" and "misleading." Iliya Audu, former chief of Ariko village, stated that no hostages had been released, adding that the victims' funerals were held on Monday.
According to him, the death toll was seven, not five as announced by the army. "We have just returned from the burial of those killed. Not a single soul was saved," he said.
Neither the Nigerian army nor the defense headquarters had responded to these protests by Monday, despite several requests.
This case reignites recurring questions about the communication practices of security authorities in Nigeria. Last November, the African Nations Championship (CAN) had already challenged the official figures released after the abduction of students from a Catholic school in Niger State.
The country is also the subject of increasing international attention on the issue of violence targeting Christian communities, a subject on which the Nigerian government continues to reject any accusation of systematic persecution.
