A Nigerian Catholic priest serving in the United States has died after taking his own life, following an order directing him to return to Nigeria despite reportedly expressing fears for his safety if he came back home. The incident has sparked concern among members of the Nigerian diaspora and church communities in both the United States and Nigeria.
The priest, Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu, 54, died on July 2 at his residence in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, according to the Archdiocese of Boston, where he had served as a hospital chaplain and parish priest since 2021. Church officials said his R-1 religious worker visa was due to expire on July 29, but his home Diocese of Abakaliki had instructed him to return to Nigeria ahead of a new assignment scheduled to begin on August 4.
Reports indicated that Father Madu had repeatedly expressed reluctance to return to Nigeria, citing fears for his personal safety. In a farewell message to parishioners before his death, he said leaving the United States was not his choice but was necessitated by circumstances beyond his control. Parishioners also recalled that he suffered a panic attack while driving to celebrate Mass just days before his death and was treated at a hospital emergency department.
According to an internal email from Boston Archbishop Richard Henning, Father Madu died by suicide. While the Archdiocese’s public statement announcing his death did not specify the cause, authorities in Massachusetts confirmed that an investigation is underway and said there is no indication of foul play.
The US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition described Father Madu’s death as a tragic consequence of the emotional distress he experienced over the prospect of returning to a region where Catholic clergy have faced kidnappings and deadly attacks in recent years. The coalition also linked his situation to challenges surrounding visa renewals under current US immigration policies affecting some Nigerian nationals.
Born on May 15, 1972, Father Madu was ordained a Catholic priest at St. Theresa Cathedral in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. He had served in the Archdiocese of Boston for nearly six years under successive religious worker visas and would have celebrated the 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination on July 7, just days after his death.
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