Ordeal of ECWA pastors raises fresh dust in Kaduna

*One held hostage despite paying N40m ransom, another lynched-on allegation of witchcraft

IDIBIA GABRIEL, KADUNA

 There is growing public outcry in Kaduna State over the ordeal of ECWA pastors, following two spirit-depressing incidents in the state. Wile one of the pastors, is still being held by his abductors even after paying a ransom of N40m, the other was mobbed and killed by a mob, who accused him of witchcraft.

The Daily Monitor on Saturday learnt that this has led to an outcry in terror ridden communities of Gidan Waya, Mai Yamma, and Jantsauni, in the Kurama Chiefdom, Lere LGA of Kaduna State, as hopes dashed over safe return of the pastor and 12 other residents abducted by ruthless kidnappers nearly two months ago.

‎The victims, including vulnerable women and elderly individuals, were abducted in a brazen attack by suspected armed bandits in November 2025, leaving families shattered and the entire chiefdom plunged into grief and fear.

‎Despite the community’s heroic efforts to raise a staggering N40 million ransom through desperate contributions, the kidnappers, remained unyielding, and are now demanding an exorbitant N300 million for their release, threatening a grim fate for the captives.

‎A distraught kinsman, Dauda Barau, broke down in tears as he appealed for help, voicing the collective torment of the affected families.

”We managed to raise forty million naira with great sacrifice, but the kidnappers are adamant,” he lamented. “Anything could happen to our people now. Among them are women and aged ones who may be battling serious underlying health challenges in those harsh conditions. It’s becoming a hopeless and devastating situation.”

‎The abduction has sent shockwaves through the Kurama Chiefdom, exacerbating the rampant kidnapping scourge that has ravaged southern Kaduna for years.

‎Residents describe nights filled with dread, as banditry continues unchecked, turning once-peaceful villages into zones of perpetual anxiety.

‎Families of the victims endure sleepless nights, haunted by the uncertainty of whether their loved ones are enduring torture, starvation, or worse in the kidnappers’ dens deep in the forests.

‎Community leaders and relatives paint a picture of profound emotional wreckage: mothers weeping uncontrollably, children orphaned in spirit, and elders questioning the value of life in a region where security seems elusive.

‎”These are our brothers, sisters, and spiritual leader,” one resident shared anonymously, voice trembling. “The pastor was a beacon of hope; now he’s suffering, and we feel powerless.”

‎Despite repeated pleas to security agencies and government authorities, there has been no significant breakthrough.

‎The kidnappers’ latest threat—that the victims will “meet their Waterloo” without full payment—has intensified the panic, with fears mounting that time is running out for the frail among them.

‎As the standoff drags on, the people of Kurama Chiefdom cling to fading hope, calling on federal and state governments for urgent intervention.

‎In a related development, another cleric with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), popularly known as Pastor Dio Idon has been reported killed by a mob after being accused of witchcraft in Southern part of Kaduna State.

Human rights lawyer and international advocate, Emmanuel Ogebe, raised the alarm about the murder in a letter dated Thursday, January 8, 2026, and addressed to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Mr. Ogebe in the letter drew attention to the killing of Pastor Dio Idon, who was reportedly attacked and murdered by members of his community over witchcraft accusations.

According to him, the Pastor was lynched on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in Ungwa Shaawa, Kasuwan Magani, after his brother died following a period of illness.

“Today, we received with sadness the news that our student, Pastor Dio Idon, was massacred by mobs following witchcraft accusations,” Washington-based Ogebe has said in a statement, adding that the pastor’s body was burned after the attack.

Ogebe described the incident as unconscionable and damaging to Nigeria’s global image. “It is unconscionable anywhere in the world for a person to lose his sibling and, instead of being comforted by his community, to be slaughtered by them,” he said.

He noted that the killing occurred amid a surge in violent incidents recorded between the last week of December 2025 and the first week of January 2026, including kidnappings, armed attacks, and assaults on religious institutions across several states.

“As at yesterday, the security incidents in the last week of December up to the first week of January recorded multiple violent attacks,” Ogebe said, expressing concern that the perpetrators of the pastor’s murder were not terrorists but members of the local community.

According to him, this underscores the need for swift justice. “I urge that the murderers be speedily captured and prosecuted to establish to the world that Nigeria is not lawless and that we have a functional system of law and order,” he stated.