Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army, have rescued Reverend Father Alphonsus Afina and 42 other kidnap victims in separate operations across Borno and Zamfara states.
Rev. Fr. Afina, a Catholic priest abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on June 1, was rescued along with 10 women on Monday during a coordinated operation in Borno State. The daring rescue was carried out without payment of ransom, according to security officials.
Father Afina was kidnapped along the Liman Kara–Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State while traveling from Mubi in Adamawa State to Maiduguri. His convoy was ambushed at a military checkpoint when a rocket-propelled grenade struck one of the vehicles, killing an occupant and leading to the abduction of several travelers.
The Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, Most Rev. John Bakeni, confirmed the rescue and commended the gallantry and professionalism of the DSS and military forces. He noted that the global Catholic community had been anxiously following the case, as Father Afina had served in Alaska, United States, from 2017 to 2024.
“We are relieved and deeply grateful that Father Afina and the others have regained their freedom without harm. This successful rescue operation is a testament to the strength and coordination of our security services,” Bishop Bakeni said.
In a separate operation last week in Zamfara State, DSS officers and Nigerian Army troops rescued 32 more kidnap victims, including 27 women and five boys. The victims, who had been held in captivity for periods ranging from two to four months, were safely recovered and handed over to the state government for medical care and documentation.
Security sources indicated that the operations are part of intensified nationwide efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks and insurgent hideouts.
The rescues mark a significant victory in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry, particularly in the northern regions where kidnapping and militant activity have escalated in recent years.
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