Italian Priest kidnapped in Niger ‘appears in militants’ video’

An Italian priest who was kidnapped in Niger in September 2018 has been seen alive in a video by Islamist militants.

Father Pierluigi Maccalli, a priest of the Society for African Missions, was kidnapped in 2018 by armed men in Bomoanga village – located more than 100km from the capital, Niamey.

Air Info newspaper, which reported the news did not release the 23-second video, but illustrated the story by a screenshot showing 59-year-old Catholic priest Pier Luigi Maccalli, with a long white beard, wearing grey clothes.

If the video is true, it is the first proof of him alive since his abduction, AFP news agency commented.
Until now, the Society for African Missions had no evidence that the priest was still alive, communications officer for the Catholic mission in Niger Thomas Codjovi was quoted as saying.

“We recognised Luigi in the photo published by Air Info,” he said, adding he had not seen the video. But “if this information is true, it is heartening to know that he is alive.”

The Catholic Society of African Missions said at the time that priest Maccalli had lived in Niger for 11 years. They said he has been actively promoting the development of education, healthcare and the training of young farmers, particularly in the southwestern area of Gourmancé.

Militant Islamists are active near Niger’s borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.