The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has condemned the gruesome murder of one of its priests in the Diocese of Kaduna, Venerable Edwin Achi, who was killed after spending a month in captivity.
The Church also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Achi’s wife and daughter, who were abducted alongside him and remain in captivity.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Primate of the Church, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, described the abduction and killing of the cleric as a painful reminder of the escalating violence ravaging communities across the country.
He said the incident “wounds the conscience of our nation” and underscores the need for urgent and decisive action against insecurity.
He called on the government to identify, expose and punish the sponsors, financiers and enablers of the violence that has plagued northern Nigeria and other regions.
Ndukuba paid tribute to the late priest, describing him as a faithful servant of God whose life of sacrifice and devotion was brutally cut short. He noted that the continued detention of Achi’s wife and daughter deepens the family’s trauma.
“They must be released forthwith to join us in laying their beloved husband and father to rest,” he pleaded.
The statement also extended prayers to all Nigerians still being held by kidnappers across the country, urging for their safe return. Ndukuba condemned the incident as a “senseless act of evil,” adding that such violence has no place in a society seeking peace and prosperity.
The Primate urged the Federal Government, security agencies and international partners to intensify efforts to dismantle the networks behind banditry, terrorism and religious persecution.
“Those who underwrite or support these atrocities must be shamed, blacklisted and severely punished. The roots of this evil must be confronted with the full weight of justice,” he said.
Ndukuba further called on political leaders and security operatives to redouble efforts to eradicate the menace threatening the nation’s stability and unity.
He expressed hope that Venerable Achi’s death would not be in vain but would instead become a rallying point for firmer action against insecurity.
“May the God of all comfort uphold his family, strengthen His Church and heal our broken nation,” he prayed.
