Nigerian Catholic priest Reverend Benjamin Okwy Madu died by suicide in Massachusetts days after being ordered to return to Nigeria, where he feared for his safety amid clergy killings.
Nigerian Priest Dies By Suicide In US Amid Deportation Fears
Reverend Benjamin Okwy Madu, 54, a Nigerian Catholic priest serving in Massachusetts, died by suicide on July 2 at his Lynnfield residence, days after being directed by his home Diocese of Abakaliki to return to Nigeria for a new assignment, Leadership Newspaper.
Madu’s R-1 visa was set to expire July 29, with no legal pathway for extension. He had reportedly suffered a panic attack days before his death and repeatedly expressed fears about insecurity facing Catholic clergy in Nigeria.
The US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition has since called on Washington to suspend Nigerian deportations and grant Temporary Protected Status to Nigerians in the country.
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