A final social media message concerning the 2023 elections written by Reverend Father John Mark Cheitnum has stirred intense public discussions following his gruesome murder in Kaduna State. Cheitnum was seized by armed men alongside another clergyman and was later found dead, leaving behind an online commentary that has now resurfaced across various digital platforms.
The cleric had shared his thoughts on the political direction of the country just days before his violent seizure. As news of his death spread, citizens began revisiting his personal timeline, sharing his final public comments and debating the circumstances that led to his untimely demise in an area plagued by frequent security crises.
Kidnap and discovery of remains
Terrorists attacked the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church located at Yadin Garu in Lere Local Government Area on Friday, July 15, 2022. During the raid, the armed gang seized Father Cheitnum and another resident priest, Reverend Father Donatus Cleopas, before dragging them away into the surrounding forests.
The search for the two kidnapped church leaders ended in grief four days later. On Tuesday, July 19, search teams discovered the decomposing body of Father Cheitnum dumped at a farm in a nearby village. Father Cleopas, who was captured alongside him, managed to escape from the custody of the gunmen and survived the ordeal.
Kaduna State and several other regions in the northwest have faced sustained attacks from armed bandits and violent groups who frequently target rural settlements, travellers, and religious institutions. Clergymen across different denominations have increasingly found themselves in the crosshairs of these armed factions, who frequently invade parish houses to carry out abductions for ransom or commit brutal murders.
Rural churches in particular have struggled with the reality of operating in remote locations where security checkpoints are few and far between. The parish in Yadin Garu sits in a largely agrarian locality, making rapid emergency intervention difficult whenever armed gangs strike at night.
The message left behind
Before the fatal incident took place, Cheitnum had updated his official Facebook page on July 10, 2022, to voice his perspective on the nation’s political landscape. The post addressed the upcoming general polls and the political mood that was beginning to take shape across the federation.
In that update, the priest wrote: “2023 Election is going to be between Nigerians vs The Enemies of Nigeria. Obi-diently Nigerians will WIN.”
The short text immediately caught the attention of social media users, especially because it mirrored the slogans and sentiments popular among civic groups and youth movements preparing for the ballot. The phrasing aligned with the political slogans that gained traction among supporters seeking alternatives to traditional political establishments in the lead-up to the polls.
Once the discovery of his remains became public knowledge, people returned to the post in droves. Screen grabs of the text were shared widely across social networks, generating thousands of comments and debates regarding what the message represented and whether it held any connection to the violence that claimed his life.
Public reactions and unresolved grief
The discovery of the post sparked divided opinions among members of the public who followed the story online. Many commentators expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a vocal cleric, while others argued over the possible motivations of his killers.
Some citizens suggested online that the priest might have been marked and murdered because of his political views and his boldness in expressing them publicly. Others maintained that he was simply another victim of the widespread banditry that has plagued Kaduna communities, arguing that rural gangs strike without any regard for the personal political beliefs of their victims.
The killing of Cheitnum dealt another heavy blow to the Catholic community in northern Nigeria, where parishioners have repeatedly mourned members of their clergy lost to armed violence. Church members and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for firmer measures from law enforcement agencies to protect vulnerable communities from continuous assaults.
The escape of Father Cleopas offered a rare relief in an otherwise tragic episode, though the trauma of the kidnapping continues to reverberate through the local diocese. Following the recovery of Father Cheitnum’s remains from the farm, the local church community has turned its focus toward grief, memorial arrangements, and coping with the loss of a shepherd killed in the line of pastoral duty.
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