Why Catholic priests don become top targets for kidnappers?

BBC News

25-04-2025

Betwin di month of March and April 2025, at least six Catholic priests and seminarians don fall victim of kidnapping across Nigeria. At least two of dem don kpai from di attacks.
Di latest incident happen on Thursday, April 24, wen jaguda pipo attack St Gerald Quasi Parish for Kurmin Risga community, Kauru Local Goment Area of Kaduna State, and kidnap Rev Fr Ibrahim Amos wey be di priest in charge.
Di attack happen around 12.15 am on Thursday. However, by Friday morning, di Chancellor of Kafanchan Diocese, Fr Jacob Shanet, announce say Fr Amos don regain im freedom.
While dis na good news, Fr Syvester Okechukwu, anoda priest wey bandits bin kidnap for Kaduna State on Ash Wednesday, bin no dey dat lucky. Police recover im deadi bodi di following day, March 5.
Also, on March 3, for Edo State, jaguda pipo bin attack St. Peter Catholic Church Iviukhua-Agenebode, Etsako East Local Goment Area, and kidnap di priest Philip Ekweli and di seminarian wey dey live wit am, Andrew Peter.
Ten days later, dem release di priest afta dem kpai di seminarian.
March 23, kidnappers snatch Fr. John Ubaechu wey dey in charge of Holy Family Catholic Church for Oguta, Imo State, as e dey attend one priests retreat. Fortunately dem release am afta three days.
On dat same March 23, police announce say dem rescue anoda Catholic Priest, Fr Stephen Echezona wey be parish priest of St. Augustine's Catholic Church Ichida, Anambra State, who jaguda pipo bin kidnap as e dey buy fuel for petrol station on March 22.
Di Anambra Police say dem rescue di priest for Ihiala, wey be one of di hot spots for insecurity for di State.
One report by di Vatican news say about 145 Catholic priests don dey kidnapped for Nigeria between 2015 and 2025. 11 of dem die.
So wetin dey ginger dis rising attack on Catholic priests in Nigeria?
Oga Aliyu Umar, wey be sabi pesin on top security matter, tell BBC Pidgin say dis trend na reflection of "wider societal breakdown".
"Religious leaders dey often perceived as soft targets: unarmed, deeply respected, and sometimes pipo dey think say dem get access to institutional resources wey make them valuable for ransom demands," Umar tok.
Again be say di presence of state security operatives dey more focused on di urban areas than di rural communities wia dis attacks dey happen more.
"Di centralization of security efforts for state capitals no longer dey sufficient. Rural and peri-urban areas wia many of dis incidents dey occur remain dangerously under-policed," oga Umar tok.
Di Catholic church for Nigeria get policy say dem no go pay any ransom to secure di release of any of dia priest wey dem kidnap.
Bishop John Namawzah Niyring of Kano Diocese bin explain dis for one interview in 2018.
"If we start to dey pay money bicos dis priest or dat sister don dey kidnapped, di Church no go fit handle am bicos our Church workers dey for evri community. If you redeem di first person, den dem take di second pesin and den anoda pesin, wia you go get di money? Dat na di reason."
However, one Father wey tok to BBC Pidgin unda anonymity say sometimes di family of di priest dey engage wit di abductors and dem go pay di ransom.
"Even though di priest belong to di church and di church dey responsible for im welfare, na still somebody pikin e be, and you no go blame im parents and family members if dem run around to raise money to pay di kidnappers," di Fada tok.
For Aliyu Umar, di security expert wey tok to BBC Pidgin on top dis matter, di solution to dis na di same solution to improve security generally for di kontri.
E say di goment suppose adopt "a more decentralized and proactive security framework".
"One key step na to establish local security alert and response teams for evri local goment area, no be just for di state capitals. Dis teams go dey embedded within di communities wia dem dey serve, and dem go dey better equipped to identify threats early, respond fast-fast, and build trust wit local populations," Umar tok.
"Church authorities and community leaders must to also invest in early warning systems, more discreet travel protocols, and beta communication channels."
But di ogbonge long-term solution according to oga Umar "na to address di root causes: poverty, unemployment, and systemic governance failures, wey dey continue to fuel desperation and crime".