By BONIFACE AKARAH

A pastor with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has been killed extra-judicially in southern Kaduna.

Human rights lawyer and international advocate, Emmanuel Ogebe, raised the alarm about the murder in a letter dated Thursday, January 8, 2026, and addressed to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Ogebe in the letter drew attention to the killing of Pastor Dio Idon, who was reportedly attacked and murdered by members of his community over witchcraft accusations.

According to him, the pastor was lynched on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in Ungwa Shaawa, Kasuwan Magani, after his brother died following a period of illness. “Today, we received with sadness the news that our student, Pastor Dio Idon, was massacred by a mob following witchcraft accusations,” Washington-based Ogebe said in a statement, adding that the pastor’s body was burned after the attack.

Ogebe described the incident as unconscionable and damaging to Nigeria’s global image. “It is unconscionable anywhere in the world for a person to lose his sibling and, instead of being comforted by his community, to be slaughtered by them,” he said.

He noted that the killing occurred amid a surge in violent incidents recorded between the last week of December 2025 and the first week of January 2026, including kidnappings, armed attacks, and assaults on religious institutions across several states.

“As at yesterday, the security incidents in the last week of December up to the first week of January recorded multiple violent attacks,” Ogebe said, expressing concern that the perpetrators of the pastor’s murder were not terrorists but members of the local community.

According to him, this underscores the need for swift justice. “I urge that the murderers be speedily captured and prosecuted to establish to the world that Nigeria is not lawless and that we have a functional system of law and order,” he stated.

Ogebe also referenced security reports by the Stefanos Foundation, warning that Nigeria risks retaining its ranking as the deadliest country in the world for Christians if decisive action is not taken.

“The first known martyr of the northern mob has occurred in 2026,” he said, stressing that prevention must take priority over reaction.

While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies in counter-terrorism operations, Ogebe said it was troubling that some attacks reportedly occurred despite advance warnings, and called for improved responsiveness and accountability.

He concluded by dedicating the petition to civilians and security personnel who lost their lives during the festive season and in the opening days of the new year, urging early action to restore security and protect fundamental rights.

The petition was accompanied by an appendix documenting multiple security incidents and security force responses across several states between late December 2025 and early January 2026.

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