A pastor, Dio Idon, has been reportedly lynched and burnt to death by a mob in Kasuwan Magani, Southern Kaduna, following allegations of witchcraft linked to the death of his younger brother.
According to multiple accounts, the incident occurred on Sunday, January 4, 2026, after members of the community accused the pastor of causing his brother’s death through alleged supernatural means.
The deceased brother was said to have suffered a prolonged illness before passing away.
According to reports, the accusation quickly degenerated into violence as a mob attacked Pastor Idon, lynched him, and set his remains ablaze, burning them to ashes.
Until his death, Pastor Idon was the Pastor of ECWA Ungwa Shaawa Local Church Council (LC), Kasuwan Magani District Church Council (DCC), Kaduna State.
Amnesty International Condemns Killing
Human rights organisation Amnesty International Nigeria has strongly condemned the killing, describing it as a disturbing example of mob violence and jungle justice.
In a statement first shared on its verified social media platforms shortly after the incident, the organisation noted that the killing underscores the alarming rise in communities taking the law into their own hands, often leading to deadly outcomes.
Southern Kaduna: Killing of a Pastor by a Mob Must Be Investigated
Amnesty International strongly condemns the killing of Pastor Dio Idon by a mob in southern Kaduna over alleged witchcraft. The horrifying incident is an example of how people increasingly take law into their… pic.twitter.com/6koo2HRJ7r
— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) January 5, 2026
A follow-up check by Muslim News confirmed that Amnesty also reposted the incident on Friday, January 9, with the caption “End mob violence” and the hashtag #JusticeNotJungle.
This is another story in the growing pattern of mob violence killings in Nigeria.
In southern Kaduna, Pastor Dio Idon was lynched by a mob over allegations of witchcraft and burned to ashes after the death of his brother. The killing occurred on 4 January 2026.
This case reflects… pic.twitter.com/xA77xdTkN7— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) January 9, 2026
“The killing of Pastor Dio Idon by a mob over alleged witchcraft is deeply disturbing. The remains of the pastor were reportedly burnt to ashes by members of his community,” Amnesty International said.
The organisation warned that mob violence remains one of the most serious threats to the right to life in Nigeria, noting that many such incidents go uninvestigated, with perpetrators rarely prosecuted.
Call for Investigation and Justice
Amnesty International called on Nigerian authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and ensure that all those involved, directly or indirectly, are brought to justice.
“The persistent failure to investigate and prosecute mob killings reflects a shocking failure of the authorities to protect lives and uphold the rule of law,” the organisation added.
1. Pastor Dio Idon was reportedly lynched to death by a mob of suspected Christian extremists in Christian-dominated Southern Kaduna over allegations of witchcraft. But, the incident has received little to no coverage in major Nigerian media outlets since it occurred on Jan 4. 👇 pic.twitter.com/M8H3GkmSpV
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) January 11, 2026
The killing has also raised concerns among observers over uneven media coverage of mob violence cases, with some analysts noting that similar incidents often receive differing levels of attention depending on location and identity of those involved.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from security agencies or the Kaduna State Government on the incident.
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