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“Join me in praying for Fr. Isaac Achi,” Pope Francis’ Appeal for Murdered Nigerian Priest

Pope Francis prays at the general audience, Oct. 19, 2022 | Daniel Ibáñez / CNA

Pope Francis has invoked prayers for the soul of Fr. Isaac Achi, the Nigerian Catholic Priest who was murdered on Sunday, January 15 following an attack on Sts. Peter and Paul Kaffin Koro Parish of Minna Diocese in Nigeria. 

Speaking to pilgrims in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall at the end of his Wednesday, January 18 General Audience, the Holy Father said, “I ask all of you to join me in praying for Fr. Isaac Achi of the Diocese of Minna in Northern Nigeria who was killed last Sunday in an attack on his rectory.”

The Catholic Diocese of Minna announced the killing of Fr. Achi in a message obtained by ACI Africa on January 15 that also stated his Assistant, Fr. Collins Omeh, had survived the attack, and had been hospitalized.

In his January 15 letter addressed to the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the Chancellor of Minna Diocese, Fr. Amanchukwu Emeka G. provided some updates about the situation of Fr. Omeh, saying, he “sustained some gunshot wounds but he is responding to treatment”.

The news of the murder of Fr. Achi and the shooting of Fr. Omeh came amid reports of the kidnapping of Fr. Michael Olofinlade, a member of the Clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti in Oye Local Government, South Nigeria.

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Addressing the pilgrims at the Vatican on January 18, Pope Francis called for prayers for Christians who are facing persecution across the world. He said, “So many Christians continue to be the target of violence. Let us remember them in our prayers.”

Nigeria has been struggling with a wave of violence by armed gangs who frequently carry out killings and kidnappings for ransom.

The country has been experiencing insecurity since 2009 when the Boko Haram insurgency emerged with the aim of turning the West African country into an Islamic state. 

In November last year, Bishop Jude Ayodeji Arogundade of Nigeria’s Ondo Diocese said the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), Boko Haram, and Fulani herders have an objective of establishing an Islamic rule in Nigeria and to “conquer the infidels, that is, the Christians and Non-Muslims and Muslims who are not as radicalized as they are.”

In his address to the Houses of Parliament, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop said religious persecution is high in the Northern and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria, especially in States guided by Sharia laws where Christians are discriminated against on account of their faith.

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Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.