Nigerian priest kidnapped from church residence in Kaduna state

A Catholic priest was abducted from his home in Nigeria on Tuesday evening as violence against Christians in the country continues to escalate unchecked.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ezema was kidnapped from his rectory at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rumi on December 2, 2025, adding to growing alarm over the rise in attacks specifically targeting clergy in Nigeria's northern regions, as Breitbart reports.

The Diocese of Zaria confirmed the abduction the following day but offered few details, stating only that Ezema was taken by unknown individuals and no ransom demand had yet been communicated to church officials.

Another Priest Kidnapped in Kaduna — Again

This latest kidnapping occurred in Kaduna state, a region that has seen repeated assaults on religious leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, in recent months. Local residents are reporting widespread fear, and many are questioning how much longer churches can operate in the area without basic security.

“We call on all men and women of Goodwill to pray for the safe and quick release of our priest and others from the hands of their abductors,” said Fr. Isek Augustine, Chancellor of the Diocese. A noble call, but at some point, prayer alone won’t protect the faithful from gunmen who know there’s little government response coming.

According to Nigeria’s Daily Post, the attack has caused panic among local Christians, especially given the broader pattern of violent targeting that has emerged throughout the state. One priest after another—abducted, sometimes murdered, almost always ignored by the national media.

A String of Attacks — and Little Accountability

Just weeks ago, Anglican priest Venerable Edwin Achi was kidnapped alongside his wife and daughter in Kaduna. Tragically, Achi was killed by his captors last week. Photos of him and other Christian hostages surfaced days before his death, a disturbing hallmark of this cycle of terror.

Fr. Ezema’s abduction follows this same grim pattern, which the Daily Post acknowledged when it wrote the episode “adds to the growing list of clergy targeted by armed groups in recent months.” No spin. Just facts. And those facts paint a bleak picture for Christians in the region.

Nigerian authorities still have no leads on the identities of the attackers, an unsurprising but deeply troubling detail that reveals a government either overwhelmed, under-equipped, or simply unwilling to confront the actors behind these crimes.

Leadership in Abuja Offers Few Answers

President Bola Tinubu’s government has declared a national state of emergency over the ongoing violence—but proclaiming an emergency is not the same as ending one. Nigerians know all too well what words without enforcement look like.

Critics, both domestic and international, have been unsparing. In early November, former U.S. President Donald Trump accused Tinubu’s administration of permitting what he called a “Christian genocide.” Trump even went so far as to threaten armed American intervention if the violence continues unchecked.

Trump’s rhetoric may raise eyebrows in diplomatic circles, but it’s hard to deny where the frustration comes from. Christians are being gunned down, abducted, or terrorized, and the Nigerian government’s approach seems to amount to statements of “deep concern.”

The Silence Speaks Louder Than the Outrage

Where’s the international response when children grow up afraid to attend Mass? When priests are taken from their homes like criminals? The silence from global watchdogs who normally trip over themselves to shout “injustice” is stranger than fiction.

“Through the intercession of our Lady, the Mother of all Priests, and our mother, may our brother, and others return to us safe and sound,” said Fr. Augustine. It’s a heartfelt prayer—but justice shouldn’t require divine intervention alone.

No one wants to see churches become fortresses, but if security isn’t coming from Abuja, then faith leaders may soon have no other option. You can't keep handing over your shepherds while hoping the wolves simply tire out.