 "Nigerian soldiers man a checkpoint in Gwoza, Nigeria. File image/ AP")
An Anglican priest kidnapped in northwest Nigeria last month has been killed in captivity, the head of the Church of Nigeria has confirmed, as the country grapples with a sharp rise in abductions and killings that has drawn condemnation from Washington.
Archbishop Henry Ndakuba said Venerable Edwin Achi, who was seized alongside his wife and daughter from their home in Kaduna state on October 28, was murdered after spending nearly a month in captivity.
“With profound sorrow, we announce the tragic death of our beloved priest… who was brutally murdered after enduring a month-long abduction,” Ndakuba said in a statement issued late on Friday.
Gunmen had initially demanded 600 million naira ($416,000) for Achi’s release before later reducing the ransom to 200 million naira, the church said. His wife and daughter are still being held. Police in Kaduna have not responded to requests for comment.
The killing comes amid a surge in kidnappings across northern Nigeria. Armed groups abducted 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi state on November 17 and, days later, seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, prompting widespread school closures in several states.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the recruitment of 50,000 police officers and cancelled foreign trips to confront what he described as a “national emergency.”
The violence has also sparked international concern. US President Donald Trump this month called the situation in Nigeria “a disgrace” and warned that Washington could halt aid or even take military action if authorities fail to curb attacks on Christians.
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View AllNdakuba urged authorities to “identify and expose the treacherous sponsors, financiers and enablers of this wave of terror” and appealed for the swift release of Achi’s wife and daughter.