A Catholic Bishop has called for urgent government action following the latest killing of a priest in Nigeria, amid a rising wave of clergy abductions and murders.

Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi of Kafanchan, speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, stated that his diocese has suffered at least one violent death every year since 2021. He urged authorities to take decisive steps to end the targeted attacks on Christian leaders.

His plea follows the abduction and murder of Father Sylvester Okechukwu in Kaduna State. Fr Sylvester was taken from his home on Ash Wednesday (4th March) and found dead the next morning. He is one of at least seven Catholic priests abducted in Nigeria since January.

“The diocese is engulfed in anguish, and the land is heavy with anger,” Bishop Kundi said. “How long shall our pastors and brethren be hunted like prey? The blood of Father Sylvester Okechukwu and all other innocent souls cries out for justice.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria condemned the killing, stating: “This heinous crime further highlights the alarming insecurity in our nation, particularly in northern Nigeria, where clergy members are repeatedly targeted, abducted, and killed with impunity.”

Other recent abductions include Fr Philip Ekweli of Auchi Diocese, kidnapped on 3rd March, and Fr Livinus Maurice of St. Patrick’s Church, Isokpo, abducted on 12th February. While police have rescued two priests in Adamawa State and shot dead a suspect in pursuit of Frr Ekweli’s kidnappers, violence against clergy remains rampant.

The Archbishop of Abuja has criticised Nigeria’s weak leadership for failing to address the ongoing persecution of Christians.

Nigeria ranks 7th on the Open Doors World Watch List for Christian persecution, with Islamist militant groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militants responsible for thousands of deaths. Over 50,000 Christians have been killed since the Islamist insurgency began in 2009, and attacks on Christian communities continue to escalate.