Bandits Kill Kaduna Priest Despite Ransom Payment, Says Rufai Oseni

Nigeria’s security crisis again came under sharp national scrutiny after the murder of Venerable Edwin Achi, an Anglican priest abducted in Kaduna State, even after his family reportedly paid a ransom running into millions of naira. According to Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni, who fought back tears while speaking on air, the bandits “returned only his dead body after the ransom was paid,” a revelation that has intensified public outrage.

Oseni, during his emotional tribute, stated that “Nigeria has happened to him,” according to his live commentary. He explained that the family had successfully raised the reduced ransom of one hundred million naira, reported by those close to the negotiations. Despite this effort, the abductors later informed the family to retrieve the cleric’s remains, saying the body had already begun to decompose. Oseni described the killing as targeted, adding that “he was killed because he was a clergyman,” as reported by his on-air remarks.

Venerable Achi, who was in his early sixties, was kidnapped on the night of October twenty-eight from his residence in Nissi Village near the Kaduna Refinery. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the attackers abducted him alongside his wife, a Customs officer, and their daughter. While the ransom was paid in hopes of securing their release, only the priest’s body was returned. His wife and daughter remain in captivity, according to family sources who have spoken anonymously due to fear of reprisals.

One of the most heartbreaking revelations shared by Oseni was the condition of the priest’s elderly mother. According to his televised report, the mother, now in her nineties and residing in Delta State, has not yet been informed of her son’s death. Oseni noted that “nobody has found the courage to break the news to her,” describing it as a painful dilemma for the grieving family.

The killing has stirred renewed debate about the increasing targeting of Christian clergy in northern Nigeria. According to public reactions circulating on social platforms, many Nigerians commended Oseni for speaking candidly. One widely shared comment reported by viewers said: “When pastors are killed after paying ransom, it is no longer just kidnapping. It is hatred.”

In honour of Venerable Achi, the Diocese of Kaduna has cancelled its annual outreach programme. Church leaders also continue to appeal for the release of his wife and daughter, according to statements attributed to diocesan officials.

As preparations begin for his burial in Delta State, the tragedy has once again highlighted a disturbing pattern: payment of ransom no longer guarantees the safe return of abducted victims, a reality many Nigerian families know all too well.