Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have abducted a Catholic priest, Fr. Matthew O’Connor, during a pastoral visit to a rural parish near the volatile Sambisa Forest axis in Borno State.
Fr. O’Connor, a former missionary in Alaska, was reportedly kidnapped while carrying out community outreach efforts in the insurgency-plagued region.
The Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, in a statement on Wednesday, appealed to the government for urgent intervention and called on Nigerians to pray for the priest’s safe return.
“This is a tragic reminder of the ongoing insecurity in our region. We urge security forces to intensify efforts toward his immediate rescue and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the Diocese stated.
The abduction has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and religious leaders, who described the incident as a blatant attack on religious freedom and a violation of international humanitarian law.
“It is unacceptable that clergy, humanitarian workers, and civilians remain targets in a conflict that has dragged on for more than a decade. The government must act decisively,” said Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Bala, a regional interfaith leader.
Fr. O’Connor, known for his decades-long missionary service in the United States, had returned to Nigeria to help rebuild communities devastated by violence and displacement in the northeast.
The abduction comes amid renewed concerns over the resurgence of terrorist activities in parts of Borno, particularly near insurgent strongholds such as Sambisa Forest.
