Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The abductors of Reverend Andrew Duniya, an ECWA pastor serving under the Zonkwa District Church Council in Kaduna State, have demanded a staggering N270 million ransom for the release of the cleric, his wife, two of his children, and two other individuals seized in a pre-dawn raid. The armed gunmen invaded Ali community in Ikulu Chiefdom, Zango Kataf Local Government Area, at about 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, 26 April 2026, shooting sporadically before carting away the six victims. The unprecedented ransom demand, one of the highest ever recorded in Southern Kaduna, has thrown the impoverished farming community into despair, with residents and church leaders declaring that the amount is impossible to raise and appealing for urgent government intervention.
According to multiple community sources who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, the kidnappers have established contact with the victims’ families and are insisting on the full payment before any release. “They are asking for N270 million. This is not money that exists in our community. We don’t even have N2 million combined,” a resident, who gave his name as Markus Yakubu, told this reporter. The bizarrely specific sum has led some to believe that the abductors may have received intelligence that the pastor or his church had access to significant funds, a claim that church members have dismissed, noting that Reverend Duniya is a humble, dedicated cleric who lives modestly.
The abduction has sent shockwaves through the Zonkwa District Church Council of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA). Church leaders have been holding emergency meetings since Sunday, and a source within the denomination confirmed that negotiations are ongoing, but that the ransom amount is far beyond anything the church can mobilise. “We are appealing to the government and security agencies. The church is not a bank. These kidnappers have made an impossible demand, and we fear for the lives of the pastor and his family,” the source said.
The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the incident and stated that a manhunt is underway, but the police have not commented on the ransom demand. As of Thursday, 30 April 2026, no arrests have been made, and there is no indication that the kidnappers have reduced their demand. Community leaders have called on Governor Uba Sani and security chiefs to intervene urgently, warning that the continued captivity of the six victims is a humanitarian crisis that could escalate if the government does not act decisively.
The staggering N270 million ransom demand has also drawn condemnation from civil society groups, who see it as a symptom of the growing audacity of criminal gangs in the North-West. “This ransom is not just high; it is a declaration of war on the state. The government must respond with overwhelming force. Paying such sums only fuels the criminal economy,” said a human rights lawyer based in Kaduna.
As the search for the abducted pastor and his family continues, the community of Ali remains gripped by fear, and the hope for rescue grows dimmer with each passing hour. The kidnappers’ ultimatum is not known, but the family is living in agony, praying that the government will either pay the ransom or rescue their loved ones before it is too late.
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