Terrorist bandits operating in Kwara State have brutally killed Reverend James Audu Issa, a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), despite collecting a ransom of N5 million from his distressed family and community.
Reverend Issa was abducted from Ekati village in the Patigi Local Government Area around August 28, 2025. After weeks of tense negotiation, the bandits—who initially demanded an exorbitant N100 million—agreed to a reduced ransom of N5 million, which the impoverished community scrambled to pay.
Tragically, sources told Nupeko TV that after collecting the initial N5 million, the criminal gang exhibited extreme cruelty by demanding an additional N45 million. Before any further negotiations could take place, they murdered the cleric.
This brutal act, described as a “ransom-for-murder” scenario, underscores the exceptional ruthlessness of the bandit groups terrorizing Kwara North, deepening the sense of despair and insecurity across the Patigi Emirate.
Rising Audacity: Police Officer and Farmers Abducted
The killing of the pastor comes amid a wave of increasingly audacious attacks in the region:
- Abduction of Police Officer: A police officer identified only as Ezra was abducted by bandits in the Patigi Local Government Area on Thursday morning (between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.). Officer Ezra, who was returning from duty, was ambushed on his motorcycle and whisked away to an undisclosed location after the attackers opened fire.
- Abduction of Community Leaders: Just a day earlier, two brothers, including Mohammed Mohammed, a prominent community figure and former President of the National Association of Nupe Students (NANUS), were abducted by bandits while working on their cassava farm in the Bokungi Zambufu community (Edu Local Government Area).
These persistent and successful abductions of farmers, community figures, and now a serving police officer, highlight the failure of authorities to stem the tide of violence, placing agricultural activities and the lives of residents under grave threat.
Christian Leaders Increasingly Targeted
The brutal murder of Reverend James Audu Issa reflects a pattern of violence where Christian leaders, priests, and pastors have become frequent targets for kidnapping and murder across Nigeria, particularly in the northern and central regions.
- Targeted Clergy: Terrorist and bandit groups often specifically target members of the clergy, leveraging their community status to demand higher ransoms. The killings, even after ransoms are paid, serve to intimidate communities and demonstrate the gangs’ power.
- Wider Violence: This specific violence against leaders is part of a larger security crisis. International Christian advocacy groups and human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that Christians are disproportionately targeted in certain parts of Nigeria by groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa.
- High Casualties: Reports have highlighted the devastating toll, with thousands of Christians killed and churches razed in the last decade, leading to continuous calls for the international community to recognize the severe threats to religious freedom and safety in Nigeria.
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