Another priest is abducted in Nigeria

Father Basil Gbuzuo is the fourth priest to be kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024. Last year, a total of 28 priests were kidnapped there.

International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expresses major concern over the kidnapping of a priest in the Diocese of Onitshi, Nigeria.

In the official statement sent to ACN, the diocese states that Father Basil Gbuzuo was taken by armed criminals on May 15th, at 8:00 AM, while he was driving. At the time the statement was issued, the kidnappers had not yet made any contact with Church authorities.

Father Gbuzuo is the fourth priest to be kidnapped in Nigeria this year. Claretian Fathers Kenneth Kanwa and Jude Nwachukwu were taken in February, and Tony Mukoro, a priest from the Diocese of Benin City, was taken in March. All were safely released.

In January 2023, Father Isaac Achi burned to death when suspected Islamists set the priest’s house on fire.

However, three priests kidnapped in recent years are still missing. Father John Bako Shekwolo has been missing since 2019, and Fathers Joseph Igweagu and Christopher Ogide were taken in 2022 and have not been heard from since.

Nigeria suffers from a severe lack of security, and kidnapping for ransom has become an industry. In 2023, Nigeria was first on a list of countries with cases of abducted priests and religious, with 28 cases, including those of three religious sisters.

ACN calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Father Basil Gbuzuo and joins the many Catholic leaders in Nigeria who are demanding that the government put an end to the insecurity in the country. We ask that benefactors kindly remember Father Gbuzuo and all other victims of kidnappings in their prayers.

—Filipe d’Avillez