Gunmen kill three and abduct Catholic priest in deadly attack in Nigeria

Gunmen killed three people and abducted a Catholic priest along with several others during an early morning attack on the clergyman's residence in northern Nigeria's Kaduna state, church and police sources said on Sunday.

Saturday's assault in Kauru district highlights persistent insecurity in the region, and came just days after security services rescued all 166 worshippers abducted in attacks by gunmen on two churches elsewhere in Kaduna.

Such attacks have drawn the attention of US President Donald Trump, who has accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians, a charge Abuja denies.

US forces struck what they described as terrorist targets in northwestern Nigeria on December 25.

The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan named the kidnapped clergyman as Nathaniel Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku, and said 10 other people were abducted.

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Three residents were killed during the attack, which began at about 3:20 a.m. (0220 GMT), the diocese said in a statement.

A Kaduna police spokesperson confirmed the incident, but said five people had been abducted in total and that the three people killed were members of the security forces.

"Security agents exchanged gunfire with the bandits, killed some of them, and unfortunately two soldiers and a police officer lost their lives," he said.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday that Nigeria's security crisis was "increasingly getting out of hand". It accused the government of "gross incompetence" and failure to protect civilians as gunmen kill, abduct and terrorise rural communities across several northern states.

A presidency spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Pope Leo, during his weekly address to the faithful in St. Peter's Square, expressed solidarity with the victims of recent attacks in Nigeria.

"I hope that the competent authorities will continue to act with determination to ensure the security and protection of every citizen's life," Leo said.