A Nigerian Catholic priest serving in the United States has died by suicide after he was instructed to return to Nigeria for a new church assignment, despite reportedly expressing fears about returning home.
Reverend 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 on Cape Ann since 2021.
His death came weeks before his religious worker visa was due to expire on July 29.
According to the Boston Globe, Madu’s home Diocese of Abakaliki had directed him to return to Nigeria before the expiry of his visa to take up a new assignment scheduled to begin on August 4.
The publication reported that the priest had made it clear he did not want to return to Nigeria and had expressed concerns for his safety if he went back.
In a farewell message posted on his parish’s website shortly before his death, Madu acknowledged that his departure from the United States was not voluntary.
“I am returning not because I want to, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” he wrote.
According to the Boston Globe, Madu also told parishioners during his final weeks that his departure was beyond his control.
The newspaper further reported that on the Sunday before his death, Madu suffered a panic attack while driving to celebrate Mass and was later treated at a hospital emergency department.
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning later informed fellow priests of the tragedy in an internal email, stating that Madu had “tragically took his own life,” according to a copy of the message obtained by the National Catholic Register.
While confirming Madu’s death, the Archdiocese of Boston did not publicly disclose the cause of death in its official statement.
The incident has drawn attention to the pressures faced by clergy serving abroad and the challenges surrounding international church assignments. Neither the Diocese of Abakaliki nor the Archdiocese of Boston has publicly commented on the concerns Madu reportedly raised before his death