By Joe Udo
KADUNA (CONVERSEER) – A Priest-in-charge of Ebenezer Anglican Church, Unguwan Maijero, Edwin Achi, has died in the custody of gunmen after being abducted alongside his wife and daughter.
The incident occurred on 28 October 2025 when armed men stormed his residence in Nissi community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attackers reportedly whisked the cleric and his family away in the early hours, later contacting relatives to demand a ransom of ₦600 million.
While details surrounding Achi’s death remain unclear, Amnesty International confirmed on Thursday, 27 November 2025, that the priest died while held by his captors. His wife and daughter remain in captivity.
Amnesty International condemned the development, warning that persistent abductions, killings, and the failure of authorities to arrest or prosecute perpetrators continue to endanger the right to life in Nigeria.
The organisation noted that governments at all levels are increasingly failing to meet their constitutional and international obligations to safeguard citizens and ensure accountability for human rights violations.
“Incessant killings and abductions for ransom — and the stunning failure of the authorities to end them and bring suspected perpetrators to justice have been and continue to be a threat to the right to life in Nigeria.
“Government, at all levels, is increasingly failing in its constitutional and international human rights obligations to protect lives and ensure accountability for all human rights abuses and violations,” a statement by Amnesty International Nigeria on X on Thursday read.
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Communities in Kaduna and across northern Nigeria have endured waves of kidnappings by armed groups, with families often left to negotiate ransoms on their own.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly urged authorities to strengthen security, improve intelligence gathering, and prioritise the protection of vulnerable communities.
Achi’s death adds to a growing list of high-profile abduction cases that have prompted renewed calls for urgent government action to curb criminal violence and restore public confidence in security agencies.
