JUST IN: NIGERIAN CATHOLIC PRIEST IN US DIES BY SUICIDE AFTER RETURN ORDER TO NIGERIA

NIGERIAN CATHOLIC PRIEST IN US DIES BY SUICIDE AFTER RETURN ORDER TO NIGERIA

A Nigerian Catholic priest serving in the United States, Reverend Benjamin Okwy Madu, has died by suicide after being directed to return to Nigeria following the expiration of his religious worker visa.

Father Madu, 54, died on July 2, 2026, 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.

His R-1 religious worker visa was scheduled to expire on July 29. However, reports indicate that his home Diocese of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State instructed him to return to Nigeria earlier in preparation for a new assignment expected to begin on August 4.

According to reports by the Boston Globe, Father Madu had repeatedly expressed reluctance to return to Nigeria, citing fears for his safety. In a farewell message published on his parish's website shortly before his death, he stated that leaving the United States was not his personal choice but was due to circumstances beyond his control.

The newspaper also reported that Father Madu suffered a panic attack while driving to celebrate Mass just days before his death and was treated at a hospital emergency department.

Boston Archbishop Richard Henning later informed fellow priests in an internal communication that Father Madu had died by suicide. While the Archdiocese publicly announced his death, it did not specify the cause.

Authorities in Massachusetts have confirmed that the death remains under investigation, although officials said there is no indication of foul play.

The U.S.-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition said Father Madu experienced severe emotional distress over the prospect of returning to Nigeria, where several Catholic priests have been victims of kidnappings and violent attacks in recent years. The coalition also argued that restrictions affecting visa renewals for Nigerian religious workers contributed to the circumstances surrounding his death.

Born on May 15, 1972, Father Madu was ordained at St. Theresa Cathedral in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. He had served in the Archdiocese of Boston for nearly six years under consecutive R-1 religious worker visas and would have celebrated his 25th anniversary as a priest on July 7, just five days after his passing.

Archdiocese spokesperson Terrence Donilon reportedly said there was no available pathway to extend Father Madu's visa under existing U.S. immigration policies affecting Nigerian applicants.

Following the incident, the U.S.-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition called on American authorities to suspend deportations of Nigerians and consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible Nigerian nationals residing in the United States.

Mental health professionals encourage anyone experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of self-harm to seek immediate support from trusted family members, healthcare professionals, local emergency services, or available crisis helplines.