In the last decade, more than 200 priests have been kidnapped in 70% of Nigeria’s dioceses.

Clergy have become one of the main targets of kidnappings in Nigeria. There, priests play an essential role in healing a population wounded by trauma. To carry out their pastoral work, they have to travel through particularly dangerous rural areas , at the mercy of potential attacks.

During its recent visit to the country, ACN was able to contact Father Felix , a priest from the Diocese of Zaria, who was kidnapped in 2022. During his captivity, he was beaten several times, nearly to death, and was even shot in the foot: “I spent a total of 40 days there. I learned that you have to trust in God in any situation.”

In recent months, violence, kidnappings, and attacks against Christian communities have increased amid the apparent inaction of the government. According to a report by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, more than 200 priests have been kidnapped in Nigeria over the past decade. 

Father Felix recalls that during the weeks of his kidnapping, “the beatings became almost routine. When I was released, my body and face were unrecognisable, covered in marks all over.” During his captivity, the priest experienced anguish, pain, and even abandonment, “and I kept asking myself, ‘Why me?’ Then I remembered that God would not abandon me . ”

Fr. Felix (in the middle with clutches)  visits some of his parishioners where they are residing

Hated for being a Christian 

Between 2015 and 2025, kidnappings of this type occurred in at least 41 of the country’s 59 Catholic dioceses and archdioceses, representing 70% of Nigeria’s ecclesiastical structures.

Although he still doesn’t know where he was held captive, the priest recalls that “there was no way to escape because we were chained to a tree 24 hours a day. They put a padlock on our legs along with another victim so that no one could flee. Also, we were in the middle of a very dense forest, and they were always armed and ready to shoot.” 

This experience has made Father Felix and his community more aware of what it means to be a minister of Christ to the very end: “They hated me for being a Christian ; one of the commanders advised me several times to become a Muslim. That same commander asked me to explain the prayers in my books, and I told him about the Rosary . I took advantage of that opportunity to explain to them what it means to be a Christian and a Catholic.”

The kidnapping business

The proliferation of criminal gangs and kidnappers across Nigeria is taking a heavy toll on the Christian community , which has become a prime target for these groups . “They shot me because they demanded a ransom of 100 million naira, an enormous sum that our parish doesn’t have. The Church doesn’t pay ransoms ; that’s something I made very clear to them. As priests, we give our lives to Christ for better or for worse ,” says Father Felix.

Priests are a recurring target for the criminal gangs that plague the country: “ They kidnapped me because I am a priest . That day they killed all the men they saw, even children, about 52 in total. I was the only one kidnapped because they knew I was the priest.”

ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World 2025 Report identifies Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for clergy and Christian religious leaders, yet vocations continue to grow and priests carry on with their mission: “The role of a rural priest is to encourage people not to abandon their lands and to stand firm in Christ,” the priest declares. 

Shortly after being released, Father Felix wanted to return to serving his parishioners despite having an 80% chance of being kidnapped again , so his bishop assigned him to a parish in a safer location. 

Father Felix currently provides pastoral care to his community while he himself undergoes treatment to heal his own wounds: those of his body and, above all, those of his soul. He is aware of his mission: “Even though I was wounded, I can be a healer for others by sharing my own story. Sometimes people come to me with problems, doubting God, and I tell them that I felt that way too, but that faith and hope sustained me. If I didn’t give up, neither should they .”