A former Alaska priest, Fr. Alphonsus Afina, has been rescued from the hands of violent Islamic terrorists in his home country of Nigeria.
According to a report from DAAR Communications, a leading media outlet in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Fr. Afina was captured by Boko Haram terrorists and criminal gangs while traveling by car on June 1.
On July 21, news broke that Fr. Afina and 10 women were rescued in a joint operation involving the Nigerian Department of State Services and tactical support troops with the Nigerian Army.
Fr. Afina served in the Fairbanks Diocese for six and half years before returning to his home diocese in Nigeria in April 2024. He served in Nome, Kotzebue, Little Diomede, Teller, Saint Michael, Stebbins, and Unalakleet during his time in Alaska.
Alaskans had been praying for Fr. Afina since early June, when Fairbanks Bishop Steven Maekawa was alerted by Nigerian church officials about the abduction.
“Praise God! We received word today that Fr. Alphonsus Afina is unharmed and has been safely released! Thank you to all who have been storming heaven for him,” the Fairbanks Diocese announced in a July 21 Facebook post. “Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to be held captive that, they too, will soon taste freedom.”
For weeks, the status of Fr. Afina was unknown as Catholics across Alaska held special Masses and prayers for his safety.
On June 16, the Fairbanks Diocese said they had received news through unofficial channels in Nigeria that Fr. Alphonsus was still alive but had suffered wounds to his legs because of being bound very tightly when captured. At that time, his captors allowed him to speak to his diocese via phone to confirm that he was still alive.
The attackers reportedly launched a rocket-propelled grenade at one of the vehicles, killing one passenger and abducting others.
It is unclear what Fr. Afina’s captors had hoped to achieve, but DAAR Communications reported that “no ransoms were paid for the release of the captives.”
In a statement on July 22, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri John Bakeni hailed the professionalism, gallantry, and intelligence-led approach of the forces involved in the rescue operation, describing the mission as “a moment of profound relief and joy for the Church and all lovers of peace and justice.”
“The news of Fr. Afina’s rescue after nearly two months in captivity brought immense joy to the Catholic community, both in Nigeria and abroad,” Bishop Baken added.
According to DAAR, Fr. Afina was traveling from Mubi in Adamawa State to Maiduguri when his vehicle was ambushed on June 1 near a military checkpoint.
“The attackers reportedly launched a rocket-propelled grenade at one of the vehicles, killing one passenger and abducting others,” the news outlet reported.
Upon his departure from Alaska in 2024, Fr. Afina returned to Nigeria to lead the Diocese of Maiduguri’s first trauma treatment center for victims of terrorism.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
For more than two decades, Fr. Afina’s homeland has been terrorized by Boko Haram, which ascribes to a militant vision of establishing Sharia Law, and overthrowing the government. According to the 2025 Global Christian Relief (GCR) Red List report, Africa, and in particular Nigeria, is the most dangerous region for Christians.
The report was based on information from the Violent Incidents Database, launched by the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF).
According to IIRF, Nigeria is by far the most dangerous country for Christians with nearly 10,000 being killed between November 2022 and November 2024, primarily by Islamic extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Armed Fulani Herdsmen, and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In addition to Fr. Afina’s rescue, Nigerian government forces also rescued 32 other kidnapped victims – 27 women and five boys who had spent months in makeshift camps hidden in forested areas.
14 Comments
See, Praying does get results. Alleluia, Alleluia!!!
I live in Quinhagak. We haven’t had public radio or TV for the last two decades. We won’t miss it.
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Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever.
J: no.
Tamra. Where was the mercy of your god when all those Christian young girls at the Christian Camp Mystic in Texas were swept away to a horrible death? Where was “His mercy”? Had they sinned too much and repented too little? If their faith had been stronger, would they not have drowned?
You owe it to Christians and non Christians alike to explain your god’s role in the Texas drownings, especially in light of your prayerful support of your god’s alleged intervention in the assistance to Fr. Afina.
For where two or more have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.
Oh, yeah. I remember him up in Nome proselytizing the Eskimo people. He’s a real piece of work. So’s the bankrupt Fairbanks Diocese who did so much damage in the native villages who used NW Alaska as the dumping ground for it’s pedophile priests. They all need to just stay home.
I live in Quinhagak. We haven’t had public radio or TV for the last two decades. We won’t miss it.
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Let us all pray for the Salvation of the poor wretch who calls himself Manny Mullen.
Thank you Shannon. Hard to express how much that means to me.
Wow, what a sarcastic puerile response. It’s actually a refreshing break from your usual pedantic blatherings about logical fallacies and scientism that attempt to masquerade your insults of and attacks on others’ spirituality. I didn’t know you had it in you. Good show old sport!
Thank you Sullen Mullen. Hard to express how much that means to me.
Father Alphonsus buried my brother-in-law in Tapraq (Stebbins)
Nice guy. He came over from Taqik (St. Michaels) for the funeral.
I’m so glad he is safe; I thought they would not return him.
God Bless him & God Bless those that saved him.
I live in Quinhagak. We haven’t had public radio or TV for the last two decades. We won’t miss it.
What Lisa is afraid of is, it will be gone from the Hubs with thousands of votes, not a couple dozen or up to a couple hundred votes in the remote villages……..……. COPY AND OPEN →→→ rb.gy/uvl61c