Nigerian Catholic Priest Stays Put Despite Kidnapping Threats, Sticks with Parishioners amid Rising Insecurity

“One of our outstations lost a key member, and even our local chief did not survive a kidnapping incident. The repeated nature of these attacks has instilled deep fear in the people,” the Nigerian Catholic Priest said.

He further disclosed that he and his assistant Priest were repeatedly warned that they too were targets of the kidnappings.

“Over a number of times, we were told that kidnappers were coming for us. We were told to flee, but we just felt that we needed to be with our people. They are flock entrusted to us and we cannot abandon them and flee so we persevered and stay with the people,” Fr. Akpan recounted.

After persistent engagement with civil authorities, the Catholic Priest said several police officers were deployed to Ketti. However, this increased security presence has not significantly curbed the violence, particularly on the outskirts of the village.

Earlier this year, a parishioner was kidnapped and killed before a ransom could be arranged. The tragic incident shook the community, Fr. Akpan said, adding that the abduction and killing “affected the number of people coming to Mass, especially for weekday services.”

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He highlighted efforts to adapt to the insecurity by holding liturgies in the evenings, though these have had limited success as the people continue to recover from the trauma.

The instability in Ketti, compounded by herdsmen violence in nearby areas, has also made it difficult to maintain a consistent parish population. 

Many displaced persons who found refuge in Ketti eventually return to their home regions, complicating the church’s efforts to build lasting Christian communities.

Fr. Akpan noted that the kidnappings have led to deep spiritual struggles for many parishioners.

“For one person, it led to a severe crisis of faith. He couldn’t understand why God would allow something like this to happen,” he said. 

The parish has provided some psychological support, but these efforts have been hampered by a lack of resources.

 “We’ve struggled to find trauma specialists who can work pro bono,” Fr. Akpan admitted, noting that despite the challenges, there is some hope for the community. 

Several kidnappers have been apprehended, providing a sense of relief, the Priests said, adding that the arrest has given the people hope for peace and security in the future.

He emphasized that the parish still faces financial difficulties, with some outstations lacking basic worship spaces. 

“One of our outstations holds Mass under a tree, which is particularly challenging during the rainy season,” he said.

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Fr. Akpan called for prayers and support to help the parish to recover. 

“The Church grows when persecuted. The blood of martyrs is the seed of the faith. We encourage everyone to keep us in their prayers so that our people may persevere and grow stronger in their faith,” he said.

Fr. Akpan expressed his gratitude for the concern shown by the leadership of the Archdiocese of Abuja. He further urged for tangible assistance to help the community rebuild.

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Journalist with great enthusiasm and interest for Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria. He has vast experience in Print,  Electronic and Multi-Media Production.