Terrorists Kill ECWA Pastor, Abduct Wife In Kaduna

The Pastor of ECWA Ministry Damakasuwa DCC in Tsam Chiefdom of Kauru local government area (LGA) in Kaduna State, Rev. Mako Maraya, has been killed while his wife was abducted by terrorists.

Rev. Maraya was gruesomely killed in the early hours of Saturday, November 18, 2023, when the assailants invaded the Rectory of 2nd ECWA Church Damakasuwa where Rev. Maraya was pastoring and gunned him down around 1am afterwhich they made away with his wife.

The abductors, according to the national publicity secretary of the Chawai Development Association (CDA) Comrade Raphael Joshua, on behalf of the CDA national president, Abel Habila Adamu, had demanded N3million ransom to set the cleric’s wife free.

A statement issued by the Association described the inhumane act as one among many calculated acts of religious war against their land and people.

“It is saddening to say that our land is sieged by religious jihadists and those saddled with the constitutional responsibility of securing our land, protecting the lives and property of our people are seen lazily compromising the security situation of our land.

“Sadly enough, this attack was unabatedly carried out at the proximity of the Damakasuwa Police Divisional office where a police checkpoint is being situated, yet this attack went on unstoppably until the mission was fully accomplished, then the security men now surfaced at the scene.

“Such act continue to create fear of conspiracy and uncertainty in the minds of our locals who are now losing confidence in the capacity and willingness of the security operatives to secure and protect them from these evil doers,” CDA stated.

The Association recalled that prior to this sad event, Rev. Maraya had been attacked in August this year by the same people who turned out to be his killers, stressing that during the August attack at his residence, Rev. Maraya was badly battered and was left with scares of knife cut and varying degrees of injuries, and his daughter was abducted and later rescued by the community members.

The Association also revealed that the deceased was just recovering from that attack when the attackers invaded and finally killed him.

“We hereby condmn such orchestrated act of religious cleansing and calculated jihad being launched in our dear peaceful nation. It is unacceptable!

“While we call on our people to remain calm and law abiding trusting in thrust and determination of the State government to get rid of this terrorists out of our communities, the security agencies must step up their game to ensure the wife is rescued unhurt. Our people deserve to be secured and protected.

“The national leadership of Chawai Development Association (CDA) hereby remind all and sundry in Chawai to remain resolute in pursuit of peace and ensure to promote religious tolerance, be security conscious and rise to defend our land with legitimate means which is to report to constituted authorities all suspicious movements of unkonwn people within our communities for questioning and arrest.”

The Association extended their heartfelt condolences to the ECWA Damakasuwa DCC, the entire Ribang and Chawai Communities for the great loss of a son and leader and prayed God Almighty to comfort the immediate family and give all the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mansur Hassan, also confirmed the killing and abduction.

He said, “We are aware of the attack and we are doing everything possible to secure the release of the wife unhurt and also fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.”