The Voice of the suffering in Africa

Vital aid from a Catholic charity has reached flood victims in northern Nigeria, but a senior Christian leader warns that the scale of the human tragedy could be greater than initially feared.   Bishop John Bakeni, Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which is supporting his diocese’s relief efforts, that at least one million people have been affected by the flood.  He added, “The flood’s unprecedented scale has presented challenges beyond our previous experiences, as ...

At least 50,000 Christians have been directly affected by the flooding in Maiduguri in northern Nigeria, though the actual numbers could be far higher. ACN is committed to helping the local diocese and requesting donations and prayers from its benefactors.  The devastating floods in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri are the worst in at least three decades, according to Auxiliary Bishop John Bakeni of the local diocese. Although official numbers are still being determined, at least one million people ...

The Nigerian city of Maiduguri was recently hit by terrible flooding. Aid to the Church in Need is helping the local diocese with food, sanitation, medicine, and shelter.   The Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, in Nigeria, has issued an appeal for help in the wake of devastating floods affecting his city.  In a video message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Auxiliary Bishop John Bakeni requests aid, explaining that “the city of Maiduguri has been engulfed ...

Maiduguri, Nigeria, known for having been the hub of Boko Haram, is now grappling with a devastating flood, which has engulfed significant parts of the city, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral Church. The catastrophic event is believed to be the result of damage to the Alau Dam, located a few miles from Maiduguri.  According to media reports, Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, faces its most severe flooding since 1994, leaving Borno residents on high alert, as countless houses are completely ...

In only a decade, Burkina Faso has become an epicenter of terrorist violence, with over 40 percent of the country’s land outside of government control. And in this situation, the Catholic Church provides material and spiritual support. Two Burkinabe priests from a diocese hard hit by extremists shared their experiences with ACN.   “The situation is dire,” said Father Bertin Namboho and Father Jean-Pierre Keita, the bursar of the Diocese of Nouna and parish priest of the village of Tansila, respectively. ...

Priests from Burkina Faso testify to the suffering in their communities after the massacre of hundreds.  Extremist groups controlling about 40 percent of Burkina Faso are now as dangerous as Boko Haram was in Nigeria, according to Father Bertin Namboho, bursar of the Nouna Diocese in western Burkina Faso.  Speaking with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Father Namboho said that people in the diocese “live in constant terror.”  Since May, terrorists have killed up to 240 ...