Father Alphonsus Afina was kidnapped on Sunday, June 1, in the Diocese of Maiduguri.
The auxiliary bishop of Maiduguri, Nigeria, has called for urgent prayers for one of his priests who was kidnapped by jihadist terrorists.
In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need – International (ACN), Bishop John Bogna Bakeni said that Fr. Alphonsus Afina was taken, along with other people, by suspected militants of Boko Haram–Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), on Sunday, June 1.
“Fr. Alphonsus and two other members of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) were scheduled to attend a workshop, which was supposed to begin on Monday in Maiduguri, and were making their way there from Mubi. The unfortunate incident happened near Gwoza at about 12:30 p.m.,” Bishop John Bakeni explained.
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According to the message sent to ACN, the travelling party was caught in a crossfire between Nigerian soldiers and terrorists. “There were many fatalities and abductions. One member of the JDPC was shot dead. Fr. Alphonsus was abducted along with others, and one of the staff of the JDPC was able to escape to safety.”
The bishop has said that he was contacted by the terrorists, who provided him with proof that Fr. Alphonsus is alive. He expressed his hope that the priest might soon be released.
Bishop John Bakeni ends his message to ACN with a request for prayers “for the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, especially during this difficult and trying moment. May Our Lady of Perpetual Help intercede for us and for her son, Fr. Alphonsus Afina, for his safe return to us.”
Boko Haram is an Islamist terrorist organization that has operated in Northern Nigeria since 2002. Though not as strong as it was in its heyday, the group still commands significant resources and is considered a threat in the region. In 2016, the group split into two, with one of the factions claiming allegiance to the Islamic State and renaming itself Boko Haram–ISWAP.
The kidnapping of priests in Nigeria has become a serious problem over the past years. Fr. Alphonsus is the 15th religious to be kidnapped in the country since the beginning of the year. Two of the victims were later murdered, while all the others subsequently regained their freedom.
