Kwara: Bandits Kill Pastor After Paying Ransom, Kidnap Village Head in Fresh Attack
- Armed bandits have launched a fresh attack on Rani in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State
- The terrorists killed two people, kidnapped two others, including the village head, in the latest attack on the community
- Pastor with the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Rev. James Audu Issa, is another victim of the bandits
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Kwara state - Armed bandits killed two persons, kidnapped two others, including the village head of Rani in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The terrorists also killed a Pastor with the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Rev. James Audu Issa, in Ekati village, after his relatives paid ransom to the bandits.
Source: Original
As reported by Vanguard, the bandits allegedly demanded ₦100 million ransom, but the pastor’s family bargained for ₦ 5 million after he was abducted on August 28, 2025.
The pastor’s family paid the ransom to the bandits to secure his release.
The bandits demanded additional ₦45 million after receiving the initial N5m, but “they later killed him at the weekend before further talks could resume.”
The terrorists also invaded Rani village, kidnapped two people while the villagers were about to observe Maghrib, the evening prayer on Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Sources told newsmen that the assailants killed two before taking away the village head and one person.
The source said:
“The security situation here in Rani village (Patigi) remains tense; we are still where we were
“We can no longer move around, talk less of going to the farm, because we are not sure of coming back, and we can no longer do other businesses. We are appealing to the state and federal governments to come to our rescue.
“We are indeed appealing to the authorities to deploy more troops to the Patigi district of the state so as to bring calm and lasting peace to the area.”
Tragedy as Bandits Kill 15 Vigilantes, Hunters in Kwara
Recall that armed bandits attacked the Oke-Ode community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
No fewer than 15 vigilantes and hunters were killed during the attack on Sunday morning, September 28, 2025.
A member of the local vigilante group, identified simply as Ajetunmobi, narrated how the terrorists attacked and killed members of the community.
Read more stories on insecurity in Kwara:
- Army Reacts to Reports of Bandits Allegedly Seizing Machine Guns from Soldiers in Kwara
- Terrorists Reportedly Launch Coordinated Attacks in Kwara, Kill Pregnant Woman, Kidnap Children
- Kwara Shuts Down Major Market after Receiving Distressing Credible Intel
50 people kidnapped as Kwara insecurity worsens
In a previous story, Legit.ng reported that Fulani communities in Kwara state raised an alarm over widespread insecurity and called on authorities to take action.
MAFYDA leaders also lamented the profiling of Fulani as perpetrators despite being victims of banditry, ransom payments, and displacement.
The association appealed to the Kwara state government and the Emir of Ilorin to intervene and establish IDP camps for displaced Fulani families.
Source: Legit.ng
