AFRICA/NIGERIA - Another priest kidnapped in the Delta region

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - Another Catholic priest, Fr. Jude Onyebadi, pastor of the church of St. Peter and Paul in Issele-Azagba, in the Delta region in the south of the Country has been kidnapped in Nigeria. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, he was seized on December 16 by three armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, in his pineapple plantation.
The kidnappers initially asked for 50 million Naira (152,000 euros), then went down to 20 million (61,000 euros) Naira for the release of the priest.
The Director of Social Communications of the Diocese of Issele-Uku, Charles Uganwa, confirmed the kidnapping and called on the kidnappers to release the hostages unconditionally, remembering that the Catholic Church does not pay ransoms.
In 2016, several Catholic priests were kidnapped in Nigeria, especially in the southern regions. Fr. Sylvester Onmoke, President of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, NCDPA has described "the recent spate of kidnappings of priests and religious as an assault on the Church" (see Fides 7/7/2016). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2016)

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