Nigerian Catholic Priest Dies by Suicide Weeks Before US Visa Expiry

Nigerian Catholic Priest Dies after Father Benjamin Madu, a 54-year-old cleric serving in Massachusetts, reportedly took his own life just weeks before his R-1 religious worker visa was due to expire.

The Nigerian Catholic Priest Dies incident occurred on July 2, 2026, when Madu was found dead at his residence in North Shore, Massachusetts. According to NBC Boston, a source familiar with the matter said the priest died by suicide. His visa was due to expire on July 29 after efforts to renew it were unsuccessful.

Father Madu served at St. Ann and Our Lady of Good Voyage churches in Gloucester, as well as St. Joachim Church in Rockport, where he was widely respected by parishioners.

According to reports, the Nigerian Catholic Priest Dies case unfolded after Madu’s visa renewal process was affected by immigration restrictions introduced under the administration of US President Donald Trump. He was expected to return to Nigeria to renew his R-1 religious worker visa, but the process was unsuccessful.

Members of his parish had earlier expressed concern about his immigration status and appealed for compassion over the uncertainty surrounding his future in the United States.

Before his death, Madu openly shared his fears about returning to Nigeria. During a Mass at St. Joachim Church on June 21, he told parishioners he was worried about what might happen if he was forced to return home.

In a farewell message published on the church’s website, Madu described his departure as something beyond his control.

“My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. If I am ever given the chance to minister again to the people of Gloucester and Rockport, I would gladly do it all over again.”

He also wrote that he would miss “the home I found away from home, a mother far from my mother, a father far from my father, and a people far from my own people.”

Following the Nigerian Catholic Priest Dies incident, the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition called on President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to suspend the deportation of Nigerians whose safety could be at risk if they returned home.

The coalition also urged the US government to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Nigerians fleeing what it described as worsening insecurity.

According to the coalition, Father Madu’s legal stay was ending as visa renewals became increasingly difficult under Presidential Proclamation 10998 and related administrative directives introduced in early 2026. It said the policy affected citizens of 39 countries, including Nigeria, leaving many foreign missionary priests facing significant challenges.