Kaduna’s chronic security troubles took a grim turn yesterday as the death of Venerable Edwin Achi, Priest-in-Charge of Ebenezer Anglican Church, Ungwan Maijero, was confirmed by the Anglican Diocese of Kaduna. The clergyman, abducted exactly a month ago alongside his wife and daughter, was reported to have died in captivity, underscoring once again the worsening human toll of unchecked banditry across the North.
Achi, who hailed from Umuaja in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, had only recently moved his family to Nissi community in Chikun Local Government Area when armed assailants invaded his residence on 28 October. The attackers whisked him away with his wife and daughter, later demanding a staggering N600m ransom — a figure that sent shockwaves through the already distressed community.
The Diocese, in a sombre statement, described Achi’s passing as a monumental loss to the church and to the many parishioners whose lives had been shaped by his pastoral service. The communiqué, laced with anguish, called for prayers for the safe return of his wife and daughter, who remain in captivity as their abductors continue to press for ransom despite the priest’s death.
Local residents disclosed that the incident has reignited fears within the community and deepened frustration over the federal government’s sluggish response to the metastasising insecurity in the region. “Our people are living on borrowed time,” one community leader lamented, urging the authorities to “stop speaking in abstracts and take decisive action.”
