Nigeria's army said on Sunday that it had rescued 31 civilians who were taken hostage during an attack on a church in northwest Kaduna state, while five people were found dead at the scene.
The army said the attack had taken place during an Easter church service in Ariko village in the Kachia local government Area. Troops were in pursuit of the attackers, it added.
The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria for Kaduna state, Caleb Maaji, said that two churches were attacked in Ariko village on Sunday.
He said that seven people were killed and an unknown number taken hostage.
"Findings are still ongoing," Maaji told Reuters.
Northwest Nigeria has struggled for years with violence, including mass kidnappings for ransom and village raids, with armed groups operating from vast forest hideouts across the region.
St. Petersburg region port, oil terminal hit in Ukrainian drone attack
Thousands protest in Germany as far-right AfD sets sights on power
Trump extols America, rails at communism in US 250th celebration
Zelenskyy denies Russian capture of key eastern city Kostiantynivka
Keiko Fujimori declared winner of Peru presidential race
Ukrainian rescuers clear rubble as Kyiv mourns 30 killed in Russian attack
Monaco blast suspect is a Ukrainian woman who fled to Germany
Clinical trials begin for two potential Ebola treatments
