“Just recently, an employee was kidnapped not far from here; he was on his way to another city, about an hour’s drive north of Enugu. A group of 20 people was also kidnapped nearby,”

Professor Obiora Ike, a member of the board of trustees of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), wrote us in January 2026. According to him, Fulani jihadists and other Islamist terrorist groups claim responsibility for the kidnappings, but now also criminal opportunists. “I am involved in several negotiations for the release of kidnapped Christians.” Obiora Ike is a priest and founded the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP) in the southern Nigerian diocese of Enugu. CIDJAP is an important resource in southeastern Nigeria for relatives of victims, survivors of severe political violence, and many internally displaced persons. Since 2005, when the ISHR first interviewed victims of Islamist violence on the ground, it has been working with CIDJAP to help many of those affected.

ISHR board member Professor Obiora Ike was formerly Vicar General (administrative director) of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu. The theologian, political scientist, and social ethicist founded at least 20 non-governmental organizations. He still travels extensively within his country and maintains excellent local connections. The photo shows him visiting a new parish. © M. Koller

What has become clearly evident in Nigeria since the beginning of the year is a systematic collapse of national security, spreading from the north. In November 2025 alone, at least 400 people were abducted in four states in north-central Nigeria, including schoolchildren in Niger. On January 18, 2026, mass abductions occurred in the village of Kurmin Wali in Kaduna State: 177 worshippers were taken from two churches; 91 of them escaped, and the rest were released in early February. However, for more than 160 people from two villages in the Kaiama district (Kwara State), all help came too late on February 3: Jihadists perpetrated a massacre against them in revenge because the population, predominantly Muslim, refused to submit to the group’s rigid interpretation of Islam.

These mass robberies, murders, and kidnappings are tearing families apart and plunging them into poverty. Vast rural areas are being abandoned because residents no longer feel safe. The perpetrators seem unstoppable. Politicians typically offer nothing more than expressions of condolence and assurances.

“The government and its security agencies are overwhelmed or unwilling to confront this grave security situation,” Ike continues.

What the priest does in the kidnapping cases requires sensitivity and even more to save lives:

“It takes a lot of energy, time, courage and money,” he admits.

After liberation, psychological rehabilitation and relocation are necessary so that those affected can find peace again. Often, children need temporary accommodation and care, or they are left completely orphaned.

For many victims of violence, CIDJAP is one of the few places where they can find hope and support. Obiora Ike explains that the organisation continues to seek resources for rehabilitation programmes that help people who have been kidnapped return to normal life after their release. He assures:

“We will not give up, but will remain steadfast and strive to give hope.”

ISHR has pledged further support for this work. Even €5,000 can make a significant difference in helping Obiora Ike and his team provide rehabilitation, care, and renewed hope to survivors.