AFRICA/NIGERIA - 145 priests kidnapped in 10 years, 11 of whom have been killed and 4 still missing

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - In the last 10 years, 145 priests have been kidnapped in Nigeria. This is evident from the analysis carried out by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), which collected data on the kidnappings of Nigerian priests between 2015 and 2025. Of the 145 kidnapped priests, 11 were killed, while four remain missing. All the others have been released.
The report, sent to Fides, is divided by ecclesiastical province.
We publish it in its entirety.

A. Most Affected Provinces (Kidnappings)

1. Owerri Province (47 cases)
- Highest number of kidnappings, indicating a high-risk region for clergy.
- Despite the high number, all but two priests were released safely, suggesting effective rescue efforts or ransom payments.

2. Onitsha Province (30 cases)
- Second highest in kidnappings but with a significantly lower fatality rate (1 priest killed).
- This suggests a pattern of abductions primarily for ransom rather than targeted killings.

3. Kaduna Province (24 cases, 7 deaths)
- Highest death toll among all provinces, indicating a more violent pattern of kidnappings.
- This could be due to terrorist activity, insurgent influence, or heightened religious tensions in northern Nigeria.

B. Provinces with the Highest Death Toll

1. Kaduna Province (7 priests killed)
- Represents the most dangerous province, where kidnappings frequently end in fatalities.
- Suggests that kidnappers in this region are more aggressive, politically motivated, or less interested in ransom negotiations.

2. Abuja Province (2 priests killed)
- The Federal Capital Region is also affected, showing that even security-presumed areas are not immune

3. Benin Province (1 priest killed) and Onitsha Province (1 priest killed)
- Lower compared to Kaduna but still a concern, indicating isolated cases of violent abductions.

C. Provinces with priests still missing

1. Kaduna Province (1 priest missing)
- Given its high death toll, the missing priest might be in grave danger or already deceased.

2. Benin Province (1 priest missing)

- Unclear whether this is due to a lack of rescue efforts or kidnappers refusing to negotiate.

3. Owerri Province (2 priests missing)

- Despite its high release rate, two cases remain unresolved, suggesting some kidnappers may be shifting strategies.
D. Less affected provinces (Low Risk)

1. Ibadan Province (2 cases, all released)
2. Calabar Province (4 cases, all released)
3. Lagos Province (0 reported cases)
- Lagos, being Nigeria’s economic hub, appears to be the safest province for Catholic clergy.
- This could be due to better policing, urban security measures, or lower religious militancy in the region.

Key Points

- Kidnappings are widespread, with some provinces experiencing more violent trends (Kaduna, Abuja).
- Most kidnappings are for ransom, but Northern regions (Kaduna) show a higher tendency for priest executions.
- Lagos remains the safest province, likely due to better law enforcement presence.
- Missing priests remain a concern, as their fate is uncertain in some provinces. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 12/3/2025)

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