After nearly two months in the hands of violent extremists, a priest dedicated to serving victims of religious persecution is finally free.

CBN reported that Rev. Daniel Alphonsus Afina, a Nigerian priest who was kidnapped by Boko Haram on June 1, 2025, has been released following a 51-day captivity, along with 10 women also held hostage by the terrorist group.

Afina, 41, was abducted by Boko Haram while traveling from Mubi to Maiduguri in the northeast region of Nigeria, an area known as the group's stronghold. He had returned to his homeland after spending several years in Alaska, preparing to counsel victims of atrocity—only to become one himself.

Priest Targeted While Serving His People

His mission was clear: he had come home to help his fellow Nigerians heal from the trauma of extremist violence. His work with Christian Solidarity International underscored that commitment and placed him directly in harm’s way. Such dedication seems lost on those more interested in political posturing than protecting innocent lives.

Boko Haram—a terrorist organization bent on establishing an Islamic state in Nigeria—targeted Afina in territory they've turned into a warzone. The region has endured 15 years of extremist attacks that have made it, in the words of many, one of the darkest places on earth for Christians.

“He chose to return to Nigeria to serve his people,” said Joel Veldkamp of CSI, emphasizing Afina's selflessness. That kind of courage contrasts sharply with the bureaucrats in international offices who won’t even restore Nigeria to watchlists, despite mountains of evidence.

Kidnapping Ended Through Peaceful Release

On July 21, 2025, Nigerian security forces received Afina and the 10 women in what was described as a peaceful handover. That’s not a phrase often used when dealing with groups like Boko Haram, known for violence, mass abductions, and church bombings.

Afina was promptly brought back to Maiduguri, where he is now resting under the care of his diocese. His medical condition remains private, but he is reportedly in good spirits despite the ordeal. His family has rightly asked for privacy while he recovers.

“He is recovering,” Veldkamp confirmed. That alone is a small miracle, considering the fate so many others face in the same region, week after week.

Christian Persecution Reaches Crisis Levels

The part of the country where Afina was taken isn’t randomly dangerous—it’s a calculated battlefield for religious cleansing. Boko Haram’s aim isn’t just territory; it’s the eradication of Nigeria’s Christians, who make up about half of the population.

Across the Middle Belt of Nigeria, another nightmare plays out at a slower pace—what experts describe as a “slow-motion ethnic cleansing campaign.” Militias tied to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group are systematically attacking Christian villages, with violent raids nearly every week.

Yet somehow, headlines are scarce, and international outrage remains curiously optional. The bodies continue to pile up, and the supposed champions of human rights remain busy with lectures about pronouns and climate neutrality.

Advocates Sound Alarm, Call for Action

“Nigeria is the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian,” said Veldkamp, cutting through the willful silence surrounding this crisis. While Western governments shuffle papers, almost 10,000 Christians have been murdered in northern and central Nigeria, according to watchdogs.

That number isn’t speculation—former Global Christian Relief official Isaac Six says it’s the result of “systematic violence” by Boko Haram, Islamic State factions, and other armed groups. If this occurred anywhere else, the global response would be fast and loud.

“It’s not just violence. It’s not just killings. It is brutal atrocities,” Six said. Yet somehow, Nigeria was dropped from the U.S. State Department’s “Countries of Particular Concern” list after being added under the Trump administration.

Failure To Confront Religious Violence

This isn’t just a Nigerian problem. It’s a policy failure of the West to acknowledge that religious persecution is more than just a checkbox. When Christian blood is spilled by the thousands, silence from so-called advocates becomes complicity.

Boko Haram isn't shy about its intentions; they aim to cleanse entire regions of Christians, using terror as a tool to do it. And they succeed, while Washington policymakers argue over definitions instead of defending the defenseless.

The release of Rev. Afina should be cause for celebration, but it also serves as a reminder of the failures that put him there to begin with. No number of hashtags or press releases will substitute for real action.