Friday, October 3, 2025
  • Who’sWho Africa AWARDS
  • About TimeAfrica Magazine
  • Contact Us
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • Magazine
  • World News

Home » News » Kidnapped Nigerian Catholic Priest Regains Freedom after 51 Days in Captivity

Kidnapped Nigerian Catholic Priest Regains Freedom after 51 Days in Captivity

By JUDE ATEMANKE, ACI Africa

July 25, 2025
in News, Special Report
0
550
SHARES
4.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Fr. Alphonsus Daniel Afina, who was abducted while returning to the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri on June 1, has been released after spending 51 days in captivity.

In a statement issued Tuesday, July 22, the Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, Bishop John Bakeni says the assistant Coordinator of the Diocesan Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) was released alongside 10 others on Monday, July 21.

“Fr. Afina is in good spirit and emotionally stable. However, he needs immediate medical examination and rest,” Bishop Bakeni says.

He adds, “I request that we respect his privacy and that of his family during this period. Let us desist from granting interviews or saying things that are not true and unverifiable.”

ReadAlso

A New Existential Threat

Nigeria: Almost 150 Catholic Priests Kidnapped In 10 Years

The Catholic Church leader also commends the efforts of the Nigerian Military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies who played significant roles in securing the release of the Priest and others.

“We thank all of you for your prayers and solidarity during this trying moment,” the Nigerian Catholic Bishop says.

ADVERTISEMENT

He implores, “May Our Blessed Mother, who always intercedes for us, continue to cover us with her maternal love and protection.”

During the June 1 attack, a Maiduguri Diocesan staff member identified as Zion was killed by suspected Boko Haram militants near Limankara, a town on the dangerous border between Adamawa and Borno States in Northeastern Nigeria.

Fr. Afina was headed to Maiduguri to attend a capacity-building meeting organized by JDPC, in collaboration with one of its NGO partners, such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS). He was accompanied by two JDPC staff members.

While traveling along the Bama road, an area notorious for insurgent activity, the group was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram militants.

A third staff member, identified as Thomas Patrick, managed to escape to safety and received health and psychological support.

Following the incident, members of the Clergy, women, and men Religious traveling to the city of Maiduguri in Northeastern Nigeria were directed to avoid the shortcut road “between Mubi through Gwoza” due to an upsurge in cases of targeted abductions.

Insecurity is rife in Nigeria, where kidnappings, murder, and other forms of persecution against Christians remain rampant in many parts of the West African country, especially in the north.

Boko Haram, one of the largest Islamist groups in Africa, has been orchestrating indiscriminate terrorist attacks on various targets in the region, including religious and political groups as well as civilians.

The insecurity situation in many other parts of the country has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, also referred to as the Fulani Militia.

A series of killings and kidnappings have targeted Priests in Africa’s most populous nation.On July 10, three Seminarians were kidnapped in an armed attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Nigeria.

Christopher Aweneghieme, a security guard at the Seminary, was killed. The Seminarians are yet to be released.

Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have repeatedly denounced the killings and abductions in the West African nation, and challenged the government to prioritize the safeguarding of human life.

Tags: Catholic Church in NigeriaCatholic NewsDiocese of MaiduguriFr. Alphonsus AfinaKidnapping
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Federal Government Strengthens Inter-Agency Partnership to Advance Civil Servants’ Welfare Initiatives

Next Post

Heat And Pests Are Creating A Deadly Cocktail For Our Foods

You MayAlso Like

News

The Guardian Newspaper Names Enugu Commissioner, Dr. Lawrence Ezeh, Amongst 65 Most Inspiring, Award-Winning Business Leaders

October 2, 2025
News

Moroccans clash with police during protests against World Cup spending

October 1, 2025
ExxonMobil Foundation Brings STEM Regional Competition to African Energy Week
News

ExxonMobil Foundation Brings STEM Regional Competition to African Energy Week

September 30, 2025
CLG: Africa Offers Growing Potential for Cross-Border Investment (1)
News

CLG: Africa Offers Growing Potential for Cross-Border Investment

September 30, 2025
News

Democratic Republic of Congo Minister of Mines to Speak at African Mining Week 2025

September 30, 2025
News

Egyptian ‘strong man’ pulls 700-ton ship with his teeth

September 28, 2025
Next Post

Heat And Pests Are Creating A Deadly Cocktail For Our Foods

Devastating UK aid cuts are a matter of life and death for women in Africa

Discussion about this post

FIFA Strips South Africa of World Cup Qualifying Points After Administrative Blunder

The Guardian Newspaper Names Enugu Commissioner, Dr. Lawrence Ezeh, Amongst 65 Most Inspiring, Award-Winning Business Leaders

Egyptian ‘strong man’ pulls 700-ton ship with his teeth

Prince Harry issues strongly-worded statement over King Charles meeting

Barack Obama admits he had to ‘dig himself out of a hole’ with Michelle amid divorce rumors

French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to five years in prison in Libyan campaign-financing trial

  • British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

    1241 shares
    Share 496 Tweet 310
  • Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

    1067 shares
    Share 427 Tweet 267
  • Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

    973 shares
    Share 389 Tweet 243
  • ‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

    904 shares
    Share 361 Tweet 226
  • Crisis echoes, fears grow in Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu State

    735 shares
    Share 294 Tweet 184
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

April 13, 2023

Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

December 27, 2022
Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

September 22, 2023
‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

March 21, 2023
Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu, wife of Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra state

NIGERIA: No, wife of Biafran warlord, Bianca Ojukwu lied – Ebele Obiano:

0

SOUTH AFRICA: TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE?

0
kelechi iheanacho

TOP SCORER: IHEANACHA

0
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

WHAT CAN’TBE TAKEN AWAY FROM JONATHAN

0

The Guardian Newspaper Names Enugu Commissioner, Dr. Lawrence Ezeh, Amongst 65 Most Inspiring, Award-Winning Business Leaders

October 2, 2025

Poor sleep could make your brain age faster, study finds

October 2, 2025

Moroccans clash with police during protests against World Cup spending

October 1, 2025
ExxonMobil Foundation Brings STEM Regional Competition to African Energy Week

ExxonMobil Foundation Brings STEM Regional Competition to African Energy Week

September 30, 2025

ABOUT US

Time Africa Magazine

TIMEAFRICA MAGAZINE is an African Magazine with a culture of excellence; a magazine without peer. Nearly a third of its readers hold advanced degrees and include novelists, … READ MORE >>

SECTIONS

  • Aviation
  • Column
  • Crime
  • Europe
  • Featured
  • Gallery
  • Health
  • Interviews
  • Israel-Hamas
  • Lifestyle
  • Magazine
  • Middle-East
  • News
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Russia-Ukraine
  • Science
  • Special Report
  • Sports
  • TV/Radio
  • UAE
  • UK
  • US
  • World News

Useful Links

  • AllAfrica
  • Channel Africa
  • El Khabar
  • The Guardian
  • Cairo Live
  • Le Republicain
  • Magazine: 9771144975608
  • Subscribe to TIMEAFRICA MAGAZINE biweekly news magazine

    Enjoy handpicked stories from around African continent,
    delivered anywhere in the world

    Subscribe

    • About TimeAfrica Magazine
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS

    © 2025 TimeAfrica Magazine - All Right Reserved. TimeAfrica Magazine Ltd is published by Times Associates, registered Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Interviews
    • Gallery
    • Lifestyle
    • Special Report
    • Sports
    • TV/Radio
    • Aviation
    • Health
    • Science
    • World News

    © 2025 TimeAfrica Magazine - All Right Reserved. TimeAfrica Magazine Ltd is published by Times Associates, registered Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.