The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has urged the Police, the Department of State Services, and other security agencies to investigate what it suspects to be a planned and coordinated attack on Catholic priests and seminarians across Nigeria.
This call follows the killing of Reverend Father Sylvester Okechukwu, a Catholic priest from the Kafanchan Diocese, who was abducted from the parish rectory in Kaura Local Council and murdered in broad daylight on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
HURIWA strongly condemned the killing, describing it as “condemnable, despicable, reprehensible, and unforgivable.”
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group expressed concern over the recent wave of kidnappings and killings of Catholic clerics, warning that it threatens the rights to life and freedom of religion guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.
According to HURIWA, between February 22 and March 5, four priests and a seminarian have been abducted in Nigeria. Father Okechukwu was confirmed killed by his abductors in Southern Kaduna. Onwubiko suggested that religious extremists might be behind these attacks and urged security agencies to act swiftly.
“We in HURIWA agree that this ugly and deadly trend is not only worrisome but also heartbreaking, especially for Catholic priests. The safety of these clerics is seemingly no longer guaranteed,” Onwubiko said.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that those behind these attacks are arrested and prosecuted. “If there is a secret plot by some Islamic extremists to eliminate Catholic priests, then those responsible for these coordinated attacks must be rounded up immediately, prosecuted professionally, and detained for life to prevent further atrocities,” he added.
HURIWA also condemned the abduction of Rev. Fr. Matthew David Dutsemi of Yola Diocese and Rev. Fr. Abraham Sauman of Jalingo Diocese, who were taken from their rectory in Demsa Local Council, Adamawa State, on Saturday, February 22.
In another incident, gunmen stormed the rectory of St. Peter Catholic Church, Iviukhua-Agenebode, Etsako East Local Council, Edo State, on Monday, March 3, and abducted Rev. Fr. Phillip Ekweli and a seminarian. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
The group urged security agencies to act swiftly to stop these attacks and protect religious leaders across the country.
