A priest and a seminarian who had been kidnapped in the Diocese of Minna, in Nigeria, were released last week, after three weeks in captivity.

According to a statement released by the Missionaries of Africa, “they are both fine, alive and healthy, despite the traumatizing experience they went through in the hands of their abductors”.

Fr Paul Sanogo, and Brother Melchior Mahinini, originally from Mali and from Tanzania, respectively, were kidnapped on 2 August in the state of Niger, in Nigeria.

Kidnapping by bandits is widespread in Nigeria. Although priests and members of the clergy are far from being the only victims of this type of crime, 13 have been kidnapped in 2023 alone, although were later released. Besides these incidents, two Nigerian priests were also killed in 2023, and three priests who were kidnapped in previous years are still missing.