Maiduguri, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian Catholic priest, who recently served in the United States, has been accused by extremists alongside other travelers in Borno state, located in northeastern Nigeria, as reported by the church.
Pastor Affina was reportedly drawn in by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram near the town of Gwoza, close to the Cameroon border, on June 1. This information was confirmed by Bishop John Bogna Bakeni of Maiduguri in a statement to the Associated Press on Sunday.
Bakeni mentioned that he spoke with the priest over the phone the day after his abduction. The bishop indicated that Affina was fatigued from the travel but during their brief exchange, he appeared to be “OK”, “Good”, and “Good”.
The priest was en route from Mbi, where he is based, to Madigli, the capital of Borno state, for a workshop when his convoy was ambushed by armed men while they were waiting for clearance at a military checkpoint.
According to the bishop, a rocket propelled grenade hit one of the vehicles, resulting in one death and multiple injuries.
Bakeni added that it would be challenging to ascertain if the priest was specifically targeted given the number of travelers caught in the ambush. He mentioned that other travelers were also involved, but he did not specify how many.
Nigerian authorities have yet to publicly respond to the incident and did not reply to requests for comments.
Rev. Robert Fass, pastor of the Parish of Fairbanks in Alaska, informed the Anchorage Daily News on Thursday that he received a call from Boko Haram confirming that Affina was in their custody.
Affina worked in Alaska from 2017 to 2024 before returning to Nigeria, where he engaged with the Catholic social justice group Justice, Development and Peace Committee.
Nigerian authorities are facing difficulties in controlling the escalating violence in the northern and central regions, where armed groups, including Boko Haram, target rural communities, resulting in thousands of deaths and kidnappings for ransom.
Religious figures, including clergy, are sometimes targeted in these attacks. In March, a priest in central Nigeria was ambushed and killed by an unidentified armed assailant.
Boko Haram, the Nigerian jihadist group, has been fighting against Western education since 2009 and has taken up arms to impose a radical interpretation of Islamic law. According to the United Nations, the conflict has led to the deaths of approximately 35,000 civilians and displaced over 2 million others across Nigeria’s northern borders.
Source: apnews.com