Bandits k!ll three, abduct Catholic priest and 10 others in Kaduna

 

Suspected bandits abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, 10 villagers and k!lled three others during an early morning attack on Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. 

Asuwaye, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku and other victims were kidnapped around 3:20am on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

According to residents, the heavily armed terrorists stormed the community, shot sporadically and whisked their victims away.

The Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan, Jacob Shanet, confirmed the abduction in a statement on Saturday, calling on Christians and people of goodwill to pray for the victims.

“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with deep sorrow, we announce the kidnapping of our priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku, Kauru LGA of Kaduna State,” Shanet said

He added that the priest was abducted alongside 10 other residents during the attack, which left three people d3ad. The deceased were identified as Jacob Dan’azumi, Maitala Kaura and Alhaji Kusari.

According to the diocese, the attackers invaded the priest’s residence and nearby homes, leaving the community in shock and fear.

“This terrible event has resulted in the killing of three people, aside from those abducted,” the statement read. 

The diocese urged prayers for the safe release of the abducted victims.

“We invite all priests, Christian faithful and men and women of goodwill to pray for Fr Nathaniel, the other abducted persons and for the repose of the souls of those killed.” 

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev Joseph Hayab, described the attack as another grim reminder of the worsening security situation in the region 

“This is a sad story. The kidnapping of Christian priests and innocent citizens is becoming unbearable despite all efforts to curb this evil,” Hayab said

Security sources at the Kaduna State Police Command said a joint team of the military and police had engaged the attackers in gun battles in the Kauru axis.

 

Archbishop of Canterbury welcomes Prince and Princess of Wales to Lambeth Palace

 

The Prince and Princess of Wales have visited the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Sarah Mullally at Lambeth Palace, her new office and residence.

A statement from Lambeth Palace said they discussed the contribution of churches around the country to their communities, and the Prince and Princess’s work through The Royal Foundation.

The visit followed Archbishop Sarah paying homage to His Majesty the King as Supreme Governor of the Church of England at Buckingham Palace earlier this week.

Archbishop Sarah said: “It was a privilege to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales to Lambeth Palace today. I know we hold the same hope for a better world and I look forward to working together in the years to come. I will continue to hold them and their family in my prayers.”

Archbishop Sarah was confirmed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul’s Cathedral last week. She will be installed at Canterbury Cathedral next month, in a service that will mark the start of her public ministry.

Kensington Palace has confirmed that the Prince of Wales will represent the King at the Installation on 25th March, the Feast of the Annunciation.

 

Archbishop of York urges action on Iran internet blackout amid humanitarian fears

 

The Archbishop of York has raised urgent humanitarian concerns in the House of Lords over the situation in Iran, calling on the UK Government to press for the restoration of internet access in the country.

Speaking during questions in the Upper Chamber on Thursday, the Most Rev and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell said there was deep uncertainty over the true human cost of the crackdown in Iran.

“We don’t know how many people have died. We don’t know how many people are injured. We don’t know how many people are missing,” he said. “What we do know is the internet has been brought down in Iran.”

The archbishop stressed that restoring internet access would allow families to contact one another, and gain a clearer understanding of events unfolding on the ground.

“Simply the restoration of the internet would allow family members to be in touch, to seek those who are missing, to know more of what is happening,” he told peers. “That would bring some solace to so many deeply hurting families in this appalling situation.”

Responding on behalf of the Government, Baroness Chapman, Minister of State for Development, acknowledged the lack of reliable information and warned that the full scale of the violence may yet emerge.

She said estimates of the death toll ranged from around 3,000 to “many, many more”, adding: “As information does emerge, we will be horrified at what is revealed.”

Baroness Chapman agreed with the archbishop on the importance of communications, describing access to the internet as “vital” in moments of crisis.

“We want as much as anybody to see that restored,” she said. “There is a reason these things are removed by regimes at moments like this, and it’s not difficult to work out what that is. It’s about hiding what’s happening.”

The US and Iran are due to hold talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue to limit negotiations to its nuclear programme, a regional official said.

Iran has said it will not make concessions on its formidable ballistic missile programme, one of the biggest in the Middle East, calling that a red line in negotiations.

 

All 166 worshippers abducted in Nigeria's northern Kaduna state freed, Christian group says

 

 

All 166 worshipers kidnapped during attacks on two churches in Kurmin Wali in northern Nigeria's Kaduna state last month have been released, the Christian Association of Nigeria said on Thursday.

Reverend John Hayab, chairman of the northern chapter of CAN, said every abducted worshiper had now returned, without giving details on whether a ransom was paid or how the release was secured.

CAN leader in Kaduna, Reverend Caleb Ma’aji, also confirmed the release, saying he just returned from the government house in Kaduna where the governor is set to receive the worshipers.

"The stage is set for them to be brought... His Excellency will meet with them. This is a result of the prayers we have offered,” he said.

Nigerian government officials have yet to comment publicly on the release.

The assault on the Kaduna churches was among the latest in a string of mass abductions that has intensified pressure on the Nigerian government. Nigeria has also faced scrutiny from US President Donald Trump, who has accused the country of failing to stop the persecution of Christians. US forces struck what they described as terrorist targets on December 25.

Abuja says it is working with Washington to improve security and denies any systematic persecution of Christians.

 

'Angel Meloni' scrubbed off Rome church painting on priest's orders

 

 

An angel restored with the face of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been scrubbed off a wall painting in a central Rome church on the orders of the parish priest, following a political and clerical uproar.

One of two angels in a chapel of the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina, close to government headquarters, was altered to look virtually identical to the 49-year-old right-wing leader, Italy's first woman premier.

The image was spotted on Saturday by centre-left newspaper la Repubblica and stirred outrage among opposition figures and irritation from Cardinal Baldo Reina, Vicar General for the diocese of Rome.

When the church opened on Wednesday, the Meloni-like face had been painted over, leaving the angel headless.

"I always said that if (the Meloni image) proved divisive we would remove it," the church priest Daniele Micheletti said.

"There was a procession of people that came to see it instead of listening to Mass or praying. It wasn't acceptable."

The amateur artist who restored the painting, Bruno Valentinetti, was quoted by Repubblica on Wednesday as saying he had been asked to erase it by the Vatican.

A spokesperson for the Holy See declined to comment. The Rome diocese said it would release a statement later.

On Saturday, Cardinal Reina expressed "bitterness" over the incident, ordered an investigation and warned that "images of sacred art and Christian tradition cannot be misused or exploited".

The Italian Culture Ministry also announced an inquiry, while Meloni laughed off the incident. She posted a picture of the disputed painting on Instagram, with the caption "No, I definitely don't look like an angel", and a laughing emoji.

The altered wall painting was done in 2000, and is not under any heritage protection. Valentinetti is its original author and was asked to restore it to fix water damage, priest Micheletti said.

 

Christian persecution watchdog encourages Guardiola to speak about Sudan atrocities with Man City owners

Guardiola

A Christian human rights watchdog has welcomed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking out about atrocities in Sudan, encouraging him to raise awareness of the conflict with the club’s ownership. 

At a pre-match press conference, Guardiola said he wants to use his voice to “speak up to be a better society”.

He shared that footage he has seen from conflict zones “hurts me”, referencing Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan; expressing a particular heart for the children killed and injured. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has said Guardiola “is in a unique and difficult position” because of Manchester City’s association to the United Arab Emirates, which has been accused of supporting the war in Sudan. 

More than 30 million people, including 15 million children, are in need of support in Sudan, according to CSW. At least 150,000 people have been killed. 

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been in armed conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia group. The UAE has been criticised for its support of the RSF.

Manchester City is owned by Sheikh Mansour, vice president of the UAE and member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family.

A spokesperson for CSW told Premier Christian News: “CSW is encouraged to hear Pep Guardiola speaking up about the situation in Sudan and other injustices taking place around the world today. 

“His comments are correct; we are living in times where images of atrocities are shared widely and often by the perpetrators, as occurred in Sudan last October, when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El Fasher. We can no longer claim to be unaware of the human toll of such conflicts.

“However, Mr Guardiola is in a unique and difficult position. 

“Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the owner of the club he works for, is the deputy prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates, and is credibly implicated in supporting the RSF, thereby fuelling the war and prolonging the suffering of, the people of Sudan.

“We would encourage Mr Guardiola to raise awareness of this conflict publicly, within his own club and across the Premier League. It also shows the importance of CSW's Eyes on Sudan campaign.

“We are not targeting the players, staff, or fans of any team; we are trying to hold those fuelling conflicts to account, with the ultimate hope of seeing an end to the war in Sudan.”

In 2023, clubs approved new rules which disqualifies people involved in “human rights abuse” from ownership.

CSW has called on the Premier League to “uphold its obligations to prevent human rights abuses” by raising this issue with Sheikh Mansour and insisting the UAE provide humanitarian support. 

Concerns about the involvement of Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, a UAE government official and chairman of Manchester City, in Donald Trump's Board of Peace have also been raised by CSW. 

Guardiola was absent from media duties last week, a day after appearing at a charity concert supporting Palestinian children in Barcelona, his home city. 

 

Next Presbyterian Moderator vows to 'rebuild trust' in Ireland's church

 

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has announced that its next Moderator will be Rev Richard Kerr, the minister of Temple patrick Presbyterian Church in County Antrim.

Rev Kerr who served as a mission worker in Malawi for over a decade, will be the 26th Moderator to come from a County Antrim congregation and the 180th person to hold PCI’s highest office since the establishment of the Church in 1840.

He will be formally elected as Moderator by the Church’s General Assembly in June. The current Moderator Rt Rev Dr Richard Murray has only been in post since December 2025 when he took over from Rt Rev Dr Trevor Gribben who had resigned the previous month following an internal investigation which uncovered “serious and significant failings” in the Church’s safeguarding functions spanning more than a decade. Dr Gribben apologised “unreservedly” for the major shortcomings in the Church’s central safeguarding systems between 2009 and 2022, which had placed people at risk.

Sixty-year-old Rev Kerr, who is a grandfather of four, received the most votes in a second round of voting, having tied initially with Rev Ker Graham, minister of Clarkesbridge & First New town Hamilton Presbyterian Church, Garmany’s Grove and McKelvey’s Grove Presbyterian Churches.

Rev Kerr said: “I feel deeply humbled, and I’m very conscious that I cannot do this by myself, or in my own strength. I pray that God’s Spirit will grant me the wisdom and guidance that I will need to reflect His mission to the Church, wider society and our global community. I also recognise that I serve in partnership with God’s people who’ve elected me, and their prayers and support I deeply value as I seek to serve God faithfully in the year ahead.

“I’m also conscious of the significant central church failings in safeguarding that came to light last year, and my heart goes out to those who have been hurt by our failure. It is important to reiterate the apology made by the Moderator at December’s Special General Assembly, as we are sorry to all who we have failed, I want to do what I can to build on the contrition already expressed in December, seek to ensure that we learn from and address our failings, and work with all involved to rebuild trust that has been broken.”

Until June he will be known as the Moderator-Designate and continue to serve his congregation in Templepatrick. 

Pope urges restraint as US ramps up pressure on Cuba

 

 

Pope Leo said he was deeply concerned about rising tensions between the United States and Cuba, and he called for "sincere and effective dialogue" to prevent violence and further suffering for the Cuban people.

US President Donald Trump said last week tariffs would be imposed on imports from countries that supply Cuba with oil, ratcheting up the pressure on Washington's long-time foe after ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a key Cuban ally, in early January.

Trump said the tariff threat was necessary to protect "US national security and foreign policy from the Cuban regime's malign actions and policies."

Pope Leo said he had received reports "with great concern" of rising tensions between Cuba and the United States. He joined Cuban bishops in "urging those responsible to promote sincere and effective dialogue to avoid violence and further suffering for the Cuban people," in comments after his weekly Angelus prayer.

Last week Trump predicted that "Cuba will be failing pretty soon," adding that Venezuela, once the island's top oil supplier, had not recently sent oil or money to Cuba.

Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez declared an "international emergency" in response to the US tariff warning, which he said constituted "an unusual and extraordinary threat."

On Saturday, Trump reiterated his call for Cuba to negotiate with the United States. "It doesn't have to be a humanitarian crisis," he told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida.

US church leaders back calls to halt ICE funding after 'unacceptable' violence

 Catholic church leaders in the United States have signed a letter urging the Senate not to fund the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) unless an appropriations bill includes protections for migrants.

More than 300 Catholic leaders said the homeland security budget “risks entrenching harm rather than promoting justice or public safety” if it “priorities detention and removal – while lacking strong safeguards for family unity, due process, and accountability”.

New Jersey Cardinal Tobin described ICE as “lawless” while speaking at an online interfaith prayer service on 26 January, and urged lawmakers to cut its funding.

“How will you say ‘no’ this week when an appropriations bill is going to be considered in Congress? Will you contact your congressional representatives, the senators and representatives from your district? Will you ask them, for the love of God and the love of human beings, which can’t be separated, to vote against renewing funding for such a lawless organisation?”

The wider Catholic Church also expressed sorrow following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents, with the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, saying the Holy See “cannot accept episodes such as these”.

“Issues, problems, contradictions should be resolved in other ways,” Parolin added.

In a separate joint statement, Cardinal Robert McElroy called the killings a “profound moral failure” that “demand[s] our collective attention and response”.

“The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti – two US citizens devoted to civic engagement and to caring for their immigrant neighbors – have left communities in Minneapolis and across the nation grieving, shaken and rightly outraged,” the statement read.

The Department of Justice said late last week it had opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death, with US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying it was a “standard investigation by the FBI when there are circumstances like what we saw”.

“We’re looking at everything that would shed light on that day,” Blanche told reporters, adding the investigation would “to the extent it needs to” involve lawyers from the civil rights division.

Two agents involved in Pretti’s shooting have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, the US Customs and Border Protection said on Thursday.

President Donald Trump last week deployed Immigration Czar Tom Holman to Minnesota and removed Border Patrol “commander at large” Greg Bovino, under whose leadership the two fatal shootings occurred.

Trump said his administration plans to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota, while Homan said he plans to “draw down” federal forces on the proviso that local officials cooperate.

“We are not surrendering our mission at all," Homan told reporters. "We’re just doing it smarter."

 

Jesus gets a makeover as Sistine Chapel artwork undergoes restoration

 

Michelangelo's "Last Judgment", a Renaissance masterwork in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel that depicts the Second Coming of Jesus, is undergoing its first restoration in 30 years.

Experts will work over three months to remove decades of built-up particles that have obscured the colours of the artwork, the Vatican said in a press release.

"The new intervention... will allow the removal of these deposits and the consequent recovery of the chromatic and luministic quality desired by Michelangelo," it said.

The Sistine Chapel, famous as the site of the secret conclave where the world's Catholic cardinals vote to select new popes, sees millions of visitors each year as part of the Vatican Museums.

The chapel will remain open during the restoration. But the fresco itself, showing Jesus delivering his final judgment of humanity, will be covered by scaffolding.

Visitors will instead be able to see a high-definition reproduction of the artwork, the Vatican said.

The chapel is also home to many other frescoes, including Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" on its ceiling. Those will still be on display.

 

Hillary Clinton accuses Trump's MAGA of war on Christian values

 

Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump’s MAGA movement of “waging a war on empathy” and Christian values, in the wake of fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis. 

In a lengthy essay for The Atlantic, the former secretary of state said the movement has a “moral rot” over the president’s immigration policy and use of religion to divide America. 

She recounted how the killing of Alex Pretti by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents immediately reminded her of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

“Federal agents shot Pretti after he tried to help a woman they had thrown to the ground and pepper-sprayed. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves and help those in need. “Do this and you will live,” he says. Not in Donald Trump’s America,” she wrote.

Clinton said that videos documenting the shooting of Pretti and Renee Good, who was killed on 7 January, “exposed the lies of Trump-administration officials”.

“The rejection of bedrock Christian values such as dignity, mercy, and compassion did not start with the crisis in Minnesota,” the former first lady said.

Sharing her article on X, Clinton said: “I believe that Christians like me—and people of faith more generally—have a responsibility to stand up to the extremists who use religion to divide our society and undermine our democracy.”

The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee criticised the “glorification of cruelty and rejection of compassion” which “threatens to pave the way for an extreme vision of Christian nationalism that seeks to replace democracy with theocracy in America".

Clinton warned that Christian nationalism, which she described as "the belief that God has called certain Christians to exercise dominion over every aspect of American life", was rampant in the White House.

She accused MAGA of having a worldview shaped by "vengeance, scorn, and humiliation” and not “generosity or solidarity".

Clinton praised Erika Kirk’s grace in publicly forgiving the killer of her husband, Charlie, but lamented that Trump “rejected” that value. 

On her Christian beliefs, Clinton said: “I’ve never been one to wear my faith on my sleeve, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important to me. Quite the opposite: My faith has sustained me, informed me, saved me, chided me, and challenged me. I don’t know who I would be or where I would have ended up without it.”

Clinton revealed that she has occasionally taught at her church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her mother taught her in Sunday school at the Methodist church in Park Ridge, Illinois.

 

Nigeria police says 80 abducted congregants return home, Christian group disputes claim

 

At least 80 congregants earlier believed to have been abducted by gunmen from three churches in northern Nigeria last month have returned home, police said on Monday, a claim immediately disputed by the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Gunmen stormed the churches in Kaduna state on January 18 and seized 177 worshippers, disappearing with them into nearby forests, according to CAN. Eleven people later escaped, leaving 166 missing, the group said.

Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan said fresh inquiries showed 80 of those reported missing had fled to nearby villages during the attack and only returned to their homes in Kurmin Wali over the weekend when they felt safe.

“Currently, we have invited all of these individuals to the Kaduna State Police Headquarters for verification of their identities, screening and health assessments,” Hassan told Reuters by phone.

Police initially denied the kidnapping before acknowledging the incident and saying security forces were searching for the missing.

However, CAN’s Kaduna state chairman, Reverend Caleb Maaji, said he had no information about any returnees.

“Based on the information available to me, the number of those kidnapped remains 177, except for the 11 who escaped and are receiving care in the hospital,” he said.

The police and CAN often offer different figures and accounts on church kidnappings.  

Kidnapping for ransom is widespread in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently attack villages, schools and motorists.

The assault on the Kaduna churches is among the latest in a string of mass abductions that has intensified pressure on the Nigerian government. Nigeria has also faced scrutiny from US President Donald Trump, who has accused the country of persecuting Christians — allegations the Nigerian government denies.

Authorities say they are working to curb Islamist insurgents and other armed groups who have targeted both Christian and Muslim civilians, often for ransom. 

Christian peers bring abortion law amendments

 

 

Christian peers in the House of Lords have submitted amendments to abortion law, in a bid to scale back access to so-called "at home abortions" or "pills by post". 

Baroness Monckton has submitted an amendment to remove Clause 191 from the Bill, which decriminalises any action by a woman in relation to her own pregnancy.

A separate amendment, brought by Baroness Strode, seeks to reinstate the requirement for a face-to-face appointment with a medical professional before abortion pills can be prescribed for at-home use.This requirement was temporarily suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Supporters of the amendment argue that restoring in-person consultations would help reduce the risk of abuse and coercion, while ensuring that medical professionals can make accurate assessments of gestational age. However, pro-choice campaigners are concerned that removing the accessibility of abortions erodes a woman's personal autonomy, over whether to carry to term. The current law is inconsistent on timescales when it comes to unborn children. 

"In the same hospital, you could have a baby being born prematurely at 22 weeks being saved by doctors, and another at 23 or 34 weeks being aborted." 

She added that women who induce an abortion via pills by post could find themselves unprepared for a medical emergency. 

"There can be a scary amount of blood [during the abortion]. It really depends. But if it was happening in a clinical setting, while it's still unsafe for the baby, at least, then that woman has got access to the clinical care that she needs. Also, if she is over the 10-week gestational limit, then obviously she wouldn't be allowed to have that type of abortion, and something that's more appropriate can be given rather than having this abortion at home."