Boko Haram Kidnaps Nigerian Priest Near Cameroon Border
Rev. Alphonsus Afina, who served in Alaska until 2024, was kidnapped alongside other travellers near Gwoza
A Nigerian Catholic priest who recently returned from the United States has been abducted by Boko Haram militants along with several other travellers in Nigeria’s Borno State, church officials have confirmed.
Rev. Alphonsus Afina was kidnapped on June 1 near Gwoza, a town close to Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, while traveling from Mubi to Maiduguri for a workshop. According to Bishop John Bogna Bakeni of the Diocese of Maiduguri, the priest’s convoy was ambushed by armed extremists while awaiting clearance at a military checkpoint.
During the attack, a rocket-propelled grenade struck one of the vehicles, killing one person and injuring others. Bishop Bakeni said that while it’s unclear if Afina was specifically targeted, several other travelers were also taken hostage.
“I spoke with him the day after the incident,” Bishop Bakeni told The Associated Press. “Though exhausted from trekking, he was sounding OK and in good spirits.”
Afina served in Alaska from 2017 to 2024, working with the Diocese of Fairbanks, before returning to Nigeria. He is currently involved with the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), a Catholic social justice organization.
Rev. Robert Fath, vicar general of the Diocese of Fairbanks, told the Anchorage Daily News that Boko Haram had directly contacted him to confirm Afina’s abduction.
Nigerian authorities have not publicly addressed the kidnapping and have not responded to media inquiries.
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This incident adds to the growing insecurity in northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram and other extremist groups continue to target civilians, religious leaders, and humanitarian workers. The group, which began its insurgency in 2009, has been responsible for the deaths of approximately 35,000 people and the displacement of more than 2 million, according to United Nations estimates.
In recent months, religious figures have increasingly become targets. In March, a priest was abducted and killed in central Nigeria by unidentified gunmen. Efforts to rescue Rev. Afina and other abductees are ongoing.
By Rédaction Africanews with AP