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Father Elijah Juma Wada

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BORNO, Nigeria, July 27, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – A Catholic priest abducted by Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram on June 30 has escaped and is currently in hiding, a report from his diocese has confirmed. 

In an email to LifeSiteNews, a spokesman for the Diocese of Maiduguri in Borno, Nigeria, confirmed that Father Elijah Juma Wada of St. Paul Catholic Parish of Buma had escaped from the hands of Boko Haram terrorists on July 8. The priest had been tortured for the duration of his captivity and even made to dig his own grave. 

Wada was originally kidnapped on June 30 while traveling the Buni-Yadi and Damaturu Road, described by the spokesman as “dangerous” territory “dominated by the dreaded” Boko Haram, which is responsible for the murders of an estimated 40,000 people in Nigeria. 

At sighting them he [Wada] thought they were soldiers,” LifeSiteNews’ contact described, “so he didn't panic.” However, when the Islamic militants discovered that Wada was a Catholic priest, “they seized him, tied him up, and drove off into the Sambisa Forest” 

The spokesman, who is known to LifeSiteNews but for his protection cannot be named, explained that Wada was tortured, ridiculed with derogatory names, spat at, and told that he would be murdered imminently. Wada apparently “pleaded with them [Boko Haram] to dump his dead body on the road so that he could be identified” before managing to flee. 

The Nigerian source explained that “there was a bomb drop from the air force in the area and confusion ensued, so he used that opportunity to escape.” 

Owing to threats from the terrorist group regarding the recapture and slaughter of Wada, the diocese has not released information on his current whereabouts; however, they were able to confirm that Wada “is currently undergoing treatment in an undisclosed location.”  

The terrorists have sent us messages that they will still go after him. Keep praying for us,” they added. 

The Secretary of the Diocese of Maiduguri, Father John Bakeni, said that Wada is “generally responding well to medication” and confirmed that no ransom appears to have been paid for the priest’s release. 

This May, a different Nigerian priest gave an interview to LifeSiteNews’ John-Henry Westen, in which he described the difficulty and dangers Christians face because of Boko Haram.  

Fr. Innocent Sunu said that Christians in the West need “to know what Christians are facing in this part of the country, or in this part of the world,” which includes buildings destroyed by Boko Haram, poverty, and homelessness.   

“So we need your support,” the priest continued.  

“First of all, pray for us so that our faith will be intact. Second, get us to talk to you like this. This is an opportunity … to hear and get to know what is happening from somebody who is at the frontline.” 

Sunu noted sadly that Boko Haram thinks Nigerian Christians are vassals of Europe, but this is not true. “It is Jesus that we love, and it is Jesus that we serve,” he said.