Tragedy in Kwara as terrorists kill abducted ECWA pastor despite N5m ransom payment

Some communities in Kwara State have been thrown into mourning after terrorists killed Reverend James Issa, a pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), despite his family and church members paying N5 million in ransom to secure his release.

Rev. Issa was kidnapped from Ekati village in Patigi Local Government Area on August 28, 2025. His family, church, and community members struggled for weeks to raise the ransom demanded by his abductors.

According to sources who spoke with Nupeko TV, the gunmen initially demanded N100 million before eventually reducing the ransom to N5 million. The community, described as impoverished, managed to gather the sum in hopes of saving the cleric.

But after collecting the N5 million, the criminals shocked the community by demanding an additional N45 million. Before fresh negotiations could begin, Rev. Issa was killed.

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Nupeko TV reported: “The bandits initially demanded an exorbitant ransom of N100 million. The distraught family and community were reportedly able to negotiate the sum down to N5 million, which they paid in an effort to secure the pastor’s freedom.

“After collecting the N5 million, the bandits reportedly exhibited extreme cruelty by demanding an additional N45 million. Tragically, before any further negotiation could take place, Rev. James Audu Issa was reportedly killed by the criminal gang.

“This act of brutality, known as a ‘ransom-for-murder’ scenario, where victims are killed after their families bankrupt themselves, underscores the exceptional ruthlessness of the bandit groups terrorising Kwara North.

“The death of the pastor, particularly after the community’s immense sacrifice, is a severe blow to the Ekati community and the entire Patigi Emirate, deepening the sense of despair and insecurity.”

Meanwhile, the spate of insecurity in Kwara North continues to escalate. A police officer, identified as Ezra, was abducted in Patigi Local Government Area on Thursday morning while returning from duty.

Sources said the officer, who hails from Ndanakun community, was ambushed while riding ahead of a colleague on a motorcycle. The attackers reportedly opened fire, and while his colleague escaped, Ezra was captured and taken away.

“The bandits were shooting guns sporadically,” one source said.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the abduction.

Similarly, two brothers were recently abducted on their cassava farm in Bokungi Zambufu community under the Lafiagi Emirate in Edu Local Government Area.

Witnesses told Nupeko TV that the attackers stormed the farmland, shooting indiscriminately. Villagers fled, but the brothers, including Mohammed Mohammed, a former president of the National Association of Nupe Students (NANUS), were taken away.

Residents fear the wave of attacks could cripple farming in Kwara North. They accuse authorities of failing to address the worsening insecurity, warning that livelihoods and food production are increasingly at risk.