CV NEWS FEED // The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization recently sent a message to bishops in Nigeria, expressing solidarity with Nigerian Christians who are affected by the country’s kidnapping crisis.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section for the First Evangelization and the new Particular Churches of the Dicastery, stated that “In these trying times, this Dicastery offers its deepest and heartfelt solidarity to the Nigerian people, who are grappling with a crisis that is expanding in scope and intensifying in proportion.”
The statement was co-authored by the Dicastery’s Secretary, Nigerian Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu. Both men called on the Nigerian government to “act swiftly in addressing this menace” and bring an end to the kidnapping currently affecting all of Nigeria.
Fides Agency reported that the kidnappers are often terrorist groups or criminal gangs seeking ransom money. Though the most frequent victims are students and children, the kidnappers also target priests, religious, foreigners and citizens alike, businessmen, and even politicians and diplomats.
According to a report from SBM Intelligence, 3,964 people have been kidnapped in Nigeria since May 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinbu took office.
Vatican News reported that the most recent kidnapping involving the Church occurred earlier this month, when two missionaries were abducted by armed men and released a few days later.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bishops, clergy and religious, seminarians, the devout members of the Church, all Christians and people of good will across the nation,” Tagle and Nwachukwu wrote.
“Our hope is that this Lent will prove spiritually fruitful for each believer and every ecclesial community in Nigeria. May the Lord bless you and may Mary Queen and Patroness of Nigeria keep you,” they concluded.
