AFRICA/NIGERIA – Nine Catholics kidnapped over the weekend in Nigeria

Abuja – Another kidnapping of Christians has occurred in Benue State, north-central Nigeria. On February 6, nine Catholics were forcibly taken away by unidentified assailants. The Diocese of Otukpo issued a statement indicating that on February 6, a kidnapping occurred at the St. Paul’s Parish in the Ogie-Utuncon St. John’s Cross Mission in the Addo Local Government Area. According to a statement sent to Fides, nine parishioners were participating in a prayer vigil inside the church when they were suddenly kidnapped by intruders who broke into the church and dragged them outside to an unknown location.
The Diocese of Otukpo is appealing to the faithful to pray for the swift release of the nine abductees.
The Benue State Police Command confirmed the kidnapping of the nine believers in Ogie and announced the deployment of tactical operations forces in the area for a search and rescue operation.
This is the second large-scale kidnapping incident in Nigeria over the weekend. On February 7, an attack occurred in the Karu local government area of Kaduna State, from Kalku to the Holy Trinity Parish, resulting in three deaths and 11 kidnappings .
According to a report from the Kavanchan Diocese, among those kidnapped was Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, the parish priest.
On February 8, Pope Leo XIV in his Angelus, expressed deep concern about the serious security situation in Nigeria: “It is with sorrow and concern that I learned of the recent attacks against various communities in Nigeria leading to a heavy loss of life.”

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