In Nigeria, Islamists kill kidnapped pastor after ransom payment

Protestant priest James Audu Issa, who was kidnapped in late August 2025, has been brutally murdered in Nigeria. The pastor’s body was found after his congregation paid a ransom to Islamist militants, underscoring the growing threat to Christians in the region.

Morning Star News reports that the body of the priest was discovered on October 2, 2025 in Kwara State. Pastor James Audu Issa, who was serving the Evangelical Church Conquering All (ECWA), was abducted by gunmen right from his home in Ekati town.

The Fulani Islamist militants were said to be responsible for the abduction. They initially demanded a ransom of 100 million naira, equivalent to about $62,000 for the cleric’s release. After negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to reduce the amount to 5 million naira.

Despite the fact that the ransom was paid, the criminals killed the pastor. Moreover, after the murder, they made a fresh demand for another 45 million naira.

The spokesman of the church, Rev. Romanus Ebeneokodi, described the incident as «a brutal act against a harmless pastor.» In turn, the editor of Today’s Challenge magazine, Ralph Madugu, noted that such attacks are part of the systematic persecution of the Christian population in Nigeria.

Recall that on June 22, 2025, during the Sunday service in the church in honor of the Holy Prophet of God Elijah in Damascus (Syria), a member of the radical Islamist organization «Islamic State» committed a bloody terrorist attack that killed 22 people. The terrorist stormed into the temple, opened fire on people, and after shooting blew himself up with an explosive device attached to his body.