Faced with the security collapse and systematic persecution striking his country, the Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, has issued an urgent appeal to Western nations, and particularly to the United States, to provide concrete strategic support to the Nigerian government. It was during a meeting organized in Madrid by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) for the presentation of the support campaign "Heal Nigeria" that the prelate exhorted U.S. President Donald Trump to move beyond statements of intent. He asks him to provide military intelligence and equipment capable of eradicating the terrorist threat, while urging the West to no longer turn a blind eye to the tragedy unfolding in Africa.
The situation described by the Archbishop is set against a backdrop of endemic and prolonged violence. Between 2015 and 2025, the African nation has seen more than three million of its citizens forced to flee their homes. The Catholic Church is paying a heavy price for this instability, fueled by the Islamist militias of Boko Haram, extremist Fulani herder groups, and various criminal gangs. Over this decade, more than two hundred priests have been kidnapped, affecting seventy percent of the country's dioceses. The figures are overwhelming: while one hundred and eighty-three priests have regained their freedom, twelve have been murdered and three others lost their lives due to the extreme conditions of their captivity. At the same time, more than eighty Christian communities have suffered destructive assaults.
The intervention of the international community, though called for, has sometimes produced paradoxical effects on the ground. Archbishop Kaigama was keen to praise the clarity of the U.S. President, recognizing him as the first major world leader to publicly state that Christians in Nigeria are victims of persecution, thus breaking with the usual silence of foreign ministries. However, the strictly military and one-off approach has proven counterproductive. The prelate referred to a bombing that occurred around Christmas which, far from weakening terrorist networks, inflamed the fury of the Islamists. Since that isolated event, kidnappings and attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram and other armed factions have seen a worrying resurgence. According to the Archbishop, a single action is not enough; the root of the evil must be struck through in-depth intelligence work in close collaboration with local authorities, rather than through sporadic strikes that embolden the attackers.
The diagnosis made by the Archbishop of Abuja goes beyond a simple security assessment, denouncing an intentional project to suffocate the Christian presence. The terrorists' goal is to instill permanent terror among the laity, using explosives and firearms to prevent them from gathering for the celebration of Mass. This strategy directly aims to hinder the growth of the Church and the dynamism of evangelization. Faced with this violence that is bleeding a nation destroyed by multiple factors, the prelate warns of the major risk of a pastoral collapse. He fears that continued suffering and isolation will eventually spiritually and psychologically exhaust the faithful, threatening the vigor of the faith and the very identity of the local Church.
To respond to this vital emergency and prevent persecution from having the last word, the ACN campaign, detailed by the director of the Spanish branch José María Garrido, deploys concrete measures. With financial support exceeding three million euros for the year 2025 alone, the pontifical foundation is funding the creation of psychological and spiritual accompaniment centers in the dioceses of Abuja and Makurdi. The aid is also directed towards the material security of parishes through the installation of alarm systems and the provision of suitable vehicles for priests in rural areas, to reduce the risk of kidnapping. Finally, specific support is given to the major seminary in Kaduna, located in one of the regions most affected by kidnappings, ensuring that this major hub of vocations for the universal Church can continue to train, despite the fear, the future shepherds of the country.