Kidnappers frees Pastor, abduct church secretary after ransom in Kaduna

Pastor Samson Ndah Ali of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Mararaba Aboro, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has been freed by his abductors.

However, the church’s financial secretary, Yusuf Shehu Ambi, who delivered the ransom, was detained by the kidnappers.

An anonymous source, speaking out of concern for safety, informed Times of Nigeria that the elderly church official had gone to pay an undisclosed ransom amount to secure Pastor Ali’s release but was held captive by the kidnappers in the process.

“The pastor was freed, but the kidnappers decided to detain the man who brought the ransom. We don’t know why, and the community is in shock,” the source said.

Pastor Ali, 30, was abducted from his home in the early hours of April 8, just two weeks after his posting to the church. The kidnappers had initially demanded a ransom of N100 million.

Attempts to reach security authorities for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.