Publication Note: The following article was prepared in June. Dates and references reflect the time of writing. The reconstruction of a remote village in Nigeria is a sign that hope can triumph over despair, and violence will not have the final word. On May 27, 2026, the archbishop of Kaduna in Nigeria visited a remote …
Category archives: West Africa
Nigeria: “At last, killers have been held to account.”
Publication Note: The following article was prepared in June. Dates and references reflect the time of writing. Bishop Jude Arogundade thanked ACN for its campaign on behalf of survivors, who “will always carry the scars of what happened that day.” The bishop who spearheaded the campaign for justice following one of the worst atrocities against …
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Yelewata massacre: still no justice
In Nigeria, more than one year after the Yelewata massacre, Church continues to demand justice for the victims During a memorial Mass held on the first anniversary of the tragedy, Bishop Anagbe remembered the victims and renewed his call for the displaced to be able to return to their homes safely. One year after the …
Nigeria: Bishop welcomes arrests in school kidnapping case
“The families will be relieved and happy to hear that those who planned the abduction of their children have been arrested. This is truly good news,” says Bishop Bulus Yohanna. (Banner: In February 2026, religious leaders held a press conference against terrorism and asked for the government to act.) Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora, …
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Equatorial Guinea’s spiritual preparation for historic papal visit
The local Church hopes the visit will mark a “before and an after,” more than four decades after the last. Note: This text was written before Pope Leo’s visit, taking place there from April 21 to 23, the final stop of an African journey that also took him to Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola. The Church …
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Cameroon: A vibrant Church, but “conflict remains an open wound”
As Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Cameroon on April 15 & 16, Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) interviewed Bishop Emmanuel Dassi of Bafia about the reality of the local Church in Cameroon, its social and political role, and the challenges facing the country – particularly in the Anglophone region, which …
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Nigeria: “We are part of the martyrdom of the 21st century”
The bishop of Wukari tells ACN about the suffering of his people and says that the federal government of Nigeria must do more to stop violence. The Diocese of Wukari, in Taraba State, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, is experiencing a severe security crisis caused by armed groups composed mostly of the Fulani ethnic group. “In …
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Nigeria — Dozens Killed in Suicide Bombings
Priest warns of ‘guerrilla warfare’ following these violent attacks (Banner photo: illustration.) A priest has warned that terrorists are “infiltrating” villages after a suspected suicide attack in Northeast Nigeria resulted in multiple deaths. Father Joseph Fidelis, from the Diocese of Maiduguri, told pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that several attacks had …
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The challenges of ministering to a community of migrants
The only diocese in Mauritania has just celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. Bishop Victor Ndione, who has led the Diocese of Nouakchott for two years, speaks to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the challenges of being a pastor in a transit country affected by irregular migration. (Banner photo: Migrant workers in …
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Burkina Faso: faith resists amid heavy international silence
The Church in northern Burkina Faso deplores the lack of media attention given to the terrorist crisis it is suffering, with displaced people facing enormous needs and Christian communities showing great resilience. During a visit to the international headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), in Königstein, Germany, Bishops Théophile Naré and Justin …
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