A Nigerian bishop has issued a call to prayer, asking for intervention to save lots of a priest who has been abducted by jihadists.
Jogn Bagna Bakeni, the auxiliary bishop of Maiduguri said that one in every of his priests, Father Alphonsus Afina, together with plenty of other people, were kidnapped on 1 June by suspected members of Boko Haram/ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province).
Boko Haram is notorious for carrying out abductions, most infamously in 2014, when it kidnapped 276 schoolgirls. While some girls in that case escaped or have since found their freedom, others died and around 80 are still missing and assumed to be captives of the fear group.
Bishop Bakeni told the Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, “Father Alphonsus and two other members of the JDPC [Justice, Development and Peace Commission] were scheduled to attend a workshop which was purported to begin on Monday in Maiduguri, and were making their way there from Mubi.
“The unlucky incident happened near Gwoza at about 12:30pm.”
The priest and his aids are believed to have been caught up in a firefight between the jihadists and the Nigerian security services, who’ve often been criticised for failing to take motion to forestall militant actions.
The bishop said, “There were many fatalities and abductions. One member of the JDPC was shot dead. Father Alphonsus was abducted together with others, and one in every of the staff of the JDPC was capable of escape to safety.”
Since the incident the jihadists have provided evidence to the bishop that Father Alphonsus continues to be alive.
The bishop called upon people to wish for the immediate release of the hostages and for the diocese of Maiduguri.
Boko Haram briefly became referred to as ISWAP in 2015 after it effectively declared itself to be the West African branch of Islamic State. However, in 2016 when IS attempted to switch the group’s leader, a split occurred.
Since then Boko Haram has been in conflict with ISWAP in addition to with the Nigerian government.
According to Aid to the Church in Need, Father Alphonsus is the fifteenth religious minister to be kidnapped this 12 months. Two of those taken were killed, while all the others are actually free.
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