Gunmen who abducted Pastor Samson Ndah Ali, a 30-year-old cleric with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), in Kaduna State, are demanding a ransom of N100 million for his release.
The pastor was kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, April 8, 2025, from his residence in Maraba Aboro, a community in Sanga Local Government Area of the state.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the armed men invaded the pastor’s home around 12:45 a.m., forcefully breaking into the building before whisking him away to an unknown location.
Confirming the incident, the Financial Secretary of the church, Mallam Yusuf Ambi, told Daily Post that he had spent time with the pastor the night before the abduction.
According to him, “I rushed to his compound, where he lives alone, and found the doors wide open. I searched every room, but he was nowhere to be found.”
Ambi explained that shortly after the incident, the kidnappers established contact with the church leadership, demanding a ransom of N100 million for the cleric’s freedom. He added that talks were ongoing between the abductors and representatives of the church.
Pastor Ali, who hails from Danji community in Ungwan Mailafiya, had only been deployed to the ECWA church in Maraba Aboro less than two weeks before he was kidnapped.
In response to the abduction, security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, the Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), have reportedly commenced a joint rescue operation aimed at securing the release of the pastor.
Although the motive behind the kidnapping remains unclear, authorities say efforts are being intensified to track down the perpetrators and ensure Pastor Ali’s safe return.
