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Safety forces have rescued Reverend Father Alphonsus Afina and 32 different kidnap victims in separate operations in Borno and Zamfara States.
Fr. Afina, a Nigerian Catholic priest who beforehand served within the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, was kidnapped on June 1, 2025, alongside the Liman Kara–Gwoza Street in Gwoza Native Authorities Space of Borno State.
He was rescued on Monday alongside 10 girls throughout a joint operation by the Division of State Providers, DSS, and the Nigerian Military.In keeping with a put up on Tuesday by safety analyst Zagazola on X, no ransom was paid for the discharge of the captives.
Confirming the incident, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Most Rev. John Bakeni, mentioned Fr. Afina was travelling from Mubi, Adamawa State, to Maiduguri when insurgents ambushed his convoy close to a army checkpoint. One passenger was reportedly killed within the assault.
Bakeni, who additionally serves as Chairman of the Christian Affiliation of Nigeria, CAN, in Borno, counseled the efforts of safety forces and described the rescue as a serious reduction for the Church and affected households. He known as for sustained collaboration between safety companies and communities within the combat in opposition to insurgency.
In a separate operation in Zamfara State, the DSS and Nigerian Military rescued 32 kidnap victims from the Shinkafi axis. The victims, comprising 27 girls and 5 boys, had been held in forest camps for durations ranging between two and 4 months.
They had been later handed over to the Zamfara State Authorities for medical consideration and documentation.
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