CATHOLIC COMMUNITY APPLAUDS DSS, ARMY FOR RESCUING KIDNAPPED REV. FR., OTHERS
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BY UTHMAN ALIYU
Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, John Bakeni, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army for successfully rescuing Reverend Father Alphonsus Afina, who was abducted on June 1 by Boko Haram militants.
Father Afina’s abduction in Gworza, Borno State, had captured international attention, as he had served as a cleric in Alaska from September 2017 to 2024. Alongside the priest, an unspecified number of fellow travelers were also taken during the incident on the Liman Kara-Gwoza road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Father Afina and 10 women were rescued by DSS operatives in the state on Monday. Troops of the Nigerian Army supported the operatives. No ransom was paid for the rescued victims.
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Bishop Bakeni, who also serves as the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, praised the bravery and acumen of the DSS personnel who successfully liberated the 11 individuals without injury. The Bishop remarked that the Catholic community globally was thrilled by the announcement of Father Afina’s rescue after almost two months in the custody of militants.
According to the Bishop, Father Afina was travelling from Mubi, Adamawa State, to Maiduguri when his vehicle was ambushed at a military checkpoint after a rocket-propelled grenade struck one of the vehicles in his convoy, killing one occupant.
Meanwhile, DSS officers in Zamfara State, also with support from troops of the Nigerian Army, last week rescued 32 kidnap victims in Shinkafi LGA of the state. Security sources disclosed that the rescued victims included 27 women and five young boys, who had spent between two and four months in captivity. They’ve been handed over to the state government for medical care and documentation, the source added.
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