In a coordinated security operation, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and troops of the Nigerian Army have successfully rescued a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Afina, along with thirty-two other kidnap victims in separate rescue missions carried out in Borno and Zamfara States.
According to reports from security sources, the priest was rescued in Borno State after weeks of captivity in the hands of suspected insurgents. Rev. Fr. Afina was abducted on the 1st of June, 2025, along the Liman-Kara–Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. He was kidnapped while travelling from Mubi in Adamawa State to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The abduction incident occurred when his vehicle ran into an ambush laid by insurgents near a military checkpoint, resulting in the tragic death of one of the passengers in his vehicle. Another passenger reportedly sustained injuries following the explosion of a rocket-propelled grenade fired at their vehicle.
The successful rescue operation, which took place on the 21st of July, was the culmination of a series of intelligence-driven efforts by the DSS and the Nigerian Army. Rev. Fr. Afina was rescued alongside ten women who had also been abducted in separate incidents. All the victims were freed without any ransom being paid, according to the security operatives who coordinated the operation.
Reacting to the development, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Most Rev. John Bakeni, who also serves as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, expressed profound gratitude to the security agencies for their swift and professional intervention. The Bishop stated that the rescue of Rev. Fr. Afina has brought relief to the Catholic community and to the families of the rescued victims. He confirmed that the Church had maintained a firm stance of not negotiating with or paying ransom to kidnappers. He therefore lauded the security operatives for their courage and commitment to bringing the priest and other captives back home safely.
In a related operation, security forces also rescued thirty-two other kidnap victims from captivity in Zamfara State. The victims, made up of twenty-seven women and five boys, had been held hostage in various bandit camps located in remote forest areas. The victims had reportedly spent between two to four months in captivity before the successful intervention by the combined security team. The rescue operation in Zamfara was carried out in the Shinkafi axis, a region notorious for bandit activities and mass abductions.
Following the rescue, the victims were handed over to the Zamfara State Government for proper medical evaluation, debriefing, and documentation. The authorities assured that the rescued individuals would receive the necessary care and support to aid their recovery from the trauma experienced during their period in captivity.
The back-to-back successes recorded in these operations have been widely applauded by various stakeholders, including religious leaders, security experts, and members of the general public. They noted that the operations signaled a renewed synergy between intelligence services and the military in tackling the menace of kidnapping and terrorism in the northern region.
The incident has also reignited conversations on the growing sophistication of terror and kidnapping groups operating in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the North-East and North-West. Security analysts have continued to call for sustained collaboration between the government, security agencies, and local communities to effectively curb these criminal activities. There are also calls for improved surveillance, better equipment for security forces, and the deployment of advanced intelligence gathering methods to preempt future attacks and abductions.
For the families of Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Afina and the other victims, the rescue marks the end of an agonizing ordeal. Many have expressed gratitude for the safe return of their loved ones and urged security agencies to extend similar efforts to other victims still languishing in captivity across the country.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with security challenges, the recent successful operations in Borno and Zamfara offer a glimmer of hope. The resilience and coordination displayed by the DSS and the Nigerian Army in these missions underscore the possibility of reclaiming peace and stability in affected regions if such proactive strategies are consistently applied.
