Bandits Kidnap Anglican Priest and Wife in Kaduna

Crime, Kaduna State, National Security, Nigeria

Bandits Kidnap Anglican Priest and Wife in Kaduna Community

Bandits abduct an Anglican priest and his wife in Nissi, Chikun LGA, amid rising attacks across Kaduna State. Analysis, stats and historical context.

Atlantic Post

October 29, 2025

2–3 minutes

Anglican Church, Banditry, Birnin Gwari, Chikun LGA, Community Safety, Kaduna insecurity, Kidnapping, police killings, SaharaReporters, Southern Kaduna

Armed bandits abducted an Anglican priest, Reverend Edwin Achi, and his wife Sarah from their home in Nissi village, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State on Tuesday morning.

A member of the Anglican Church of Nigeria confirmed the abduction to reporters. This has deepened alarm among residents. They say media coverage of the incident was delayed.

The attack forms part of a sustained wave of violence that has engulfed parts of Kaduna State this month. Less than two weeks earlier gunmen killed two police officers in Southern Kaduna while on duty at a divisional police headquarters in Zonkwa town.

That incident highlights the audacity of the attackers. It also reveals the growing inability of security services to protect both communities and frontline officers.

Local sources and reporting by the media show a pattern of coordinated raids, mass abductions and lethal assaults across Birnin Gwari, Kachia and Chikun LGAs. In mid October a coordinated set of attacks left multiple communities raided and several people abducted, including incidents that raised the death toll in Layin Danauta to at least nine.

These incidents point to an expanding operational footprint for bandit groups that increasingly strike both rural settlements and state installations.

Analysts say the recent spike is not new. It is part of a longer trajectory of banditry. This banditry has spread across the north west and parts of central Nigeria since 2019.

There have been high profile cases involving clergy. In March 2025 a Catholic priest who had been kidnapped in Kaura LGA was later killed by his abductors, a grim precedent that increases fears for the safety of Reverend Achi and his wife.

Beyond immediate human tragedy the kidnappings and killings have measurable effects on local governance and economies. Communities in affected LGAs record declines in market activity and school attendance after attacks.

Security analysts warn that unless intelligence led civilian policing is sustained, there is a risk of further escalation. Targeted military operations must also continue. Without these measures, armed groups may strengthen control over mining and transit corridors.

Recent reporting highlights allegations of under reporting. There are communication gaps between community leaders and state agencies. These gaps hamper rapid response.

What must happen now is clear. Authorities should promptly confirm the wellbeing and location of Reverend Achi and his wife and publish regular verified updates.

Security agencies must engage community leaders to rebuild trust. They need to deploy proportionate, intelligence-led operations. These operations should prioritise rescue and civilian protection.

Media organisations should escalate reporting on targeted attacks on religious leaders who often serve as community anchors. Kaduna communities can’t be left to shoulder the human cost while violence diffuses into everyday life.