Nigerian Priest Dies by Suicide Amid Visa Crisis

Reverend Benjamin Okwi Madu, a 54-year-old Nigerian Catholic priest serving in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, died by suicide on July 2, 2023, following an order to return to Nigeria. Madu, who had been in the U.S. on a religious worker visa since 2021, faced the expiration of his visa on July 29.

The Archdiocese of Boston had instructed him to return home even sooner than the deadline, with a new assignment scheduled to begin on August 4. Madu had previously expressed his reluctance to return, fearing for his safety due to the targeting of clergy in Nigeria.

He suffered a panic attack and sought emergency treatment shortly before his death. The Archdiocese confirmed his passing in an internal email, and the Essex County District Attorney's office stated that foul play was not suspected.

The Nigerian Civil Society Coalition highlighted Madu's emotional distress regarding his return to Nigeria, calling for U.S. authorities to halt deportations and grant temporary protected status to Nigerians.