Nigerian priest in US dies by suicide after return order to Nigeria

A Nigerian Catholic priest serving in the United States has died by suicide, days after being directed to leave the country and return to Nigeria, where he had repeatedly expressed fears for his safety.

The late 54-year-old Reverend Benjamin Okwy Madu, died on 2 July at his residence in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, according to the Archdiocese of Boston, where he had served as a hospital chaplain and parish priest on Cape Ann since 2021.

His R-1 religious worker visa was due to expire on 29 July.

Ordered to return to Nigeria

According to the Boston Globe, Madu’s home Diocese of Abakaliki instructed him to return to Nigeria before the expiration of his visa ahead of a new pastoral assignment scheduled to begin on 4 August.

The report said the priest had repeatedly indicated that he did not wish to return.

In a farewell message posted on his parish’s website days before his death, Madu wrote that leaving the United States was not his desire.

“Returning home was not my wish, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end.”

Panic attack before death

The Sunday before his death, Mr Madu reportedly suffered a panic attack while driving to celebrate Mass and was treated at a hospital emergency room, according to a parishioner who spoke to the Boston Globe.

Boston Archbishop Richard Henning later informed fellow priests in an internal email that Madu had “tragically took his own life,” according to reports by the National Catholic Register.

The Archdiocese’s public statement announcing his death did not specify suicide as the cause.

The Essex County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Madu’s death remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police, adding that foul play is not suspected.

Coalition links death to fears over return

The US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition alleged that the priest suffered severe emotional distress over the prospect of returning to Nigeria, where Catholic clergy have increasingly faced kidnappings and attacks.

In a statement circulated to several media organisations, the coalition said Madu feared returning to a region where priests had become targets of violent criminal groups.

The group also cited the inability to renew his US religious worker visa under current immigration policies as a contributing factor.

“The terrifying reality of these rigid restrictions was made plain on July 2, 2026, when Father Benjamin Okwy Madu, a beloved 54-year-old Nigerian Catholic priest serving the North Shore of Massachusetts, tragically took his own life,” the coalition stated.

Served nearly six years in the US

Born on 15:May 1972, Madu was ordained at St. Theresa Cathedral, Abakaliki, in Ebonyi State.

He had served in the Archdiocese of Boston for nearly six years under successive R-1 religious worker visas and was due to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his priestly ordination on 7 July, just five days after his death.

According to the Boston Globe, Archdiocese spokesperson Terrence Donilon said there was no legal pathway to extend the priest’s visa under current US immigration policies affecting Nigerian nationals.

Calls for immigration protection

Following the incident, a coalition of Nigerian diaspora and Christian advocacy organisations urged the United States government to halt deportations of Nigerians and consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible Nigerian nationals living in the country.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or overwhelming emotional distress, reaching out to trusted family, friends, religious leaders, or a local mental health professional can help. Immediate support is available through local emergency or crisis services in many countries.