Nigerian Priest Abducted and Murdered by Extremists
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria has mourned the death of Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu, who was abducted from his parish residence on the night of 4 March 2025 and later found dead in the early hours of Ash Wednesday.
Church authorities confirmed the kidnapping from his home at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area, and described the killing as a devastating loss for the community.
Fr. Okechukwu, ordained in February 2021, was praised for his selfless service, spreading messages of peace and hope.
While the exact motive remains unclear, investigators are continuing their work.
The United States Mission in Nigeria also condemned the killing, calling it a “horrific act of violence.”
Priest Burned to Death in Terrorist Attack on Parish
In a separate incident, Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi, parish priest of Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Kafin Koro, Niger State, Nigeria, was brutally killed on 15 January 2023 after bandits set his church rectory on fire.
According to the Catholic News Agency, the gunmen had attempted to break into the residence, and after failing, resorted to arson.
Another priest in the compound, Fr. Collins Omeh, managed to escape but sustained gunshot wounds.
Authorities condemned the attack strongly. Niger State’s governor described it as “ungodly and inhumane,” and security forces were deployed to investigate.
Human rights groups have since flagged a worrying pattern, with priests being increasingly targeted by extremist and bandit groups in parts of Nigeria.