In Nigeria, Islamists killed five kidnapped Catholics

The Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna. Photo: Facebook

On July 7, Nigeria confirmed the deaths of five Catholics kidnapped during an attack on Christian communities in Kaduna State, reports Fides.

Among the dead was Victor Paul — a catechist, a church instructor who helped priests teach the faith to children and adults and prepared parishioners for participation in the life of the community. He was abducted on February 9 during an attack on the villages of Kutaho and Kugur in the Kagaro district.

Together with Victor Paul, militants took away his pregnant wife, young son, and about 30 other residents. It later became known that the catechist's son was killed, while Victor Paul himself was brutally tortured in captivity, starved, and left to die.

Some of the abducted were eventually freed. On April 5, eleven women and children were released, including the catechist's wife. Nine more men were freed on May 1, and the last four surviving hostages returned on June 30.

The Archdiocese of Kaduna stated that the Church gives thanks to God for the release of the survivors, but mourns those who did not return alive. According to Fides, the Kaduna State authorities and police had not officially commented on the deaths of the hostages at the time of publication.

The Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported that terrorists in Nigeria killed more than 20 Christians in a single night.

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