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.