The Catholic community in Nigeria and beyond have commended the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army for their successful rescue of Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Afina and several other kidnap victims held by Boko Haram insurgents and criminal gangs.
Rev. Fr. Afina, a Nigerian priest who served in the Archdiocese of Anchorage in Alaska, U.S., from 2017 until 2024, was abducted on June 1, 2025, while traveling along the Liman Kara – Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The priest, alongside 10 women, were rescued on Monday during a coordinated security operation by the DSS operatives in Borno, with tactical support from troops of the Nigerian Army.
A source told ait.live that no ransom was paid for the release of the captives.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Most Rev. John Bakeni, hailed the professionalism, gallantry, and intelligence-led approach of the DSS and military forces involved in the operation.
Bakeni, who also serves as Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, described the rescue as “a moment of profound relief and joy for the Church and all lovers of peace and justice.
“The news of Fr. Afina’s rescue after nearly two months in captivity brought immense joy to the Catholic community, both in Nigeria and abroad,” the Bishop said.
Bakini revealed that Fr. Afina was on his way from Mubi in Adamawa State to Maiduguri when insurgents ambushed his convoy near a Military checkpoint. The attackers reportedly launched a rocket-propelled grenade at one of the vehicles, killing one passenger and abducting others.
The Bishop called for continued collaboration between security agencies and communities to defeat insurgency and other threats to national peace.
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In a similar joint operation, the DSS in Zamfara State with the Nigerian Army troops, rescued 32 kidnapped victims from the Shinkafi axis of the State.
Security sources said that the victims, comprising 27 women and 5 boys, had spent between 2 and 4 months in the bandits captivity.
The victims were reportedly rescued from makeshift camps hidden in forested areas and were later handed over to the Zamfara State Government for medical attention and documentation.
The dual rescue operations reflect growing inter-agency cooperation in Nigeria’s ongoing war against terrorism and armed banditry.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
