The Catholic Diocese of Ilorin appealed for prayers for the safety of three men kidnapped from their monastery by Fulani bandits on 17 October.
Novice brother Godwin Eze and two postulants – Anthony Eze and Peter Olarewaju – were taken from the Benedictine Monastery at Eruku in the early hours of the morning. The diocese notified security agencies and asked for prayers and for their release.
While Anthony Eze and Olarewaju were set free on 21 October, the 31-year-old Godwin Eze was shot and his body thrown into a river a day after his kidnapping.
Fr Joseph Ekesiobi, a former novice director at the monastery, confirmed the news of the murder of Eze, whom he described as “very jovial”.
“Brother Godwin lived a contemplative life. I remember him as a very easy-going young man. He was very jovial and very prayerful,” Ekesiobi said.
The Diocese of Ilorin serves Kwara State in North Central Nigeria, which is bordered by states including Kogi and Niger which regularly experience attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
This was the latest in a series of kidnappings and murders in Africa’s most populous nation involving clergy, seminarians, religious and other Christians.
In 2022, 30 priests were kidnapped in Nigeria and 39 killed. At least 13 clergy have been taken captive this year and later freed, including two Missionaries of Africa in August, who were left traumatised after 20 days in captivity.
Last month, a Catholic seminarian in Nigeria was killed after the rectory where he was living was set on fire in a botched kidnapping attempt, according to the Diocese of Kafanchan.
Nigeria’s Catholic bishops warned in September that Nigeria has effectively been taken over by insurgents, militia and criminal gangs, with Catholic priests among the most frequent victims – insurgents describe them as “soft targets”.
Speaking from their meeting in Abuja, the bishops denounced widespread violence in Nigeria, a situation they said is compounded by a “failing and worsening economy” which has subjected Nigerians to “a life of poverty, hunger, hardship and suffering.”
They condemned the failure of security forces and politicians to solve the security issue.
Nigeria has faced a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs – including Fulani militia and Boko Haram – whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnap for ransom, and murder.
The scourge is part of a broader phenomenon of kidnappings which target foreigners, businessmen, politicians, diplomats and traditional rulers, but also ordinary citizens, in order to extract ransom money.
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