A Nigerian Priest is Abducted by Boko Haram Close to the Cameroon Border
According to the church, a Nigerian Catholic priest who was recently in the United States was kidnapped by extremists in Borno state, northeastern Nigeria, along with other tourists.
Bishop John Bogna Bakeni of Maiduguri told The Associated Press on Sunday that the Islamic extremist organisation Boko Haram abducted the Rev. Alphonsus Afina on June 1 near the northeastern town of Gwoza, near the Cameroonian border.
A day after the kidnapping, Bakeni claimed to have had a phone conversation with the priest. According to the bishop, Afina was “sounding OK” and “in good spirits” throughout the brief talk, despite being worn out from trekking.
The priest said that while waiting for permission at a military checkpoint, his convoy was assaulted by armed men on his way from the city of Mubi, where he is located, to Maidiguri, the capital of Borno, for a workshop. The bishop said one person was killed and several were injured when a rocket-propelled grenade struck one of the cars.
Because so many travellers were captured in the ambush, Bakeni said it was hard to tell if the priest was singled out. He said that it was unknown how many other travellers had been kidnapped. Nigerian officials have not responded to demands for information or made any public remarks regarding the kidnappings.
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