In northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, a Catholic priest who recently spent time serving in the United States has been kidnapped, alongside several other travelers. The abduction occurred on June 1 near the town of Gwoza, close to the Cameroon border. The incident was confirmed by Bishop John Bogna Bakeni of Maiduguri, who stated that the kidnapping was perpetrated by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.
Reverend Alphonsus Afina, the kidnapped priest, was reportedly in transit from Mubi to the state capital, Maiduguri, for a workshop. During the journey, his convoy was ambushed by armed men while waiting at a military checkpoint. This ambush tragically resulted in a rocket-propelled grenade hitting one of the vehicles, causing the death of one person and injuring others, according to Bishop Bakeni.
In a brief phone conversation with Rev. Afina, a day after the incident, Bishop Bakeni noted that although the priest sounded fatigued from trekking, his spirits were surprisingly high. It remains unclear if Rev. Afina was specifically targeted due to the number of travelers affected in the ambush. The exact number of people abducted in the incident has also not been determined.
Despite the severity of this situation, Nigerian officials have yet to make a public statement or respond to inquiries regarding the kidnappings. Meanwhile, Rev. Robert Fath, vicar general of the diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, disclosed receiving confirmation from Boko Haram that they are holding Rev. Afina. The kidnapped priest previously served in Alaska from 2017 to 2024 before returning to Nigeria to work with a Catholic social justice organization.
The abduction of Rev. Afina highlights the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria’s north and central regions. Here, armed groups, including Boko Haram, frequently target rural communities, resulting in thousands of deaths and kidnappings. These violent acts often specifically target religious figures, with another priest being abducted and killed in central Nigeria in March.
Since its inception in 2009, Boko Haram, a group born out of a desire to reject Western education and enforce a radical interpretation of Islamic law, has wreaked havoc not only within Nigeria but also in neighboring northern regions. The conflict has led to the deaths of approximately 35,000 civilians and displaced over 2 million individuals, as reported by the United Nations.