AFRICA/CAMEROON - Cardinal Tumi released shortly after his abduction

Friday, 6 November 2020 bishops   kidnappings  

Douala (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Christian Tumi, Archbishop Emeritus of Douala, who was kidnapped yesterday, November 5, around 6 pm, on the Bamenda-Kumo road (north-west), has been released. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, the Cardinal's release was initially announced and then denied, as negotiations about his release, which began immediately, presumably took some time to complete. Traditional leader Fon Sehm Mbinglo II and ten other people who were kidnapped with Cardinal Tumi are still in the hands of the kidnappers
"We are convinced that the Cardinal and the others will be released safe and sound. We are looking for all possible ways to ensure their release. We invite Cameroonians to pray for this", said His Exc. Mgr. George Nkuo, Bishop of Kumbo, immediately after the Cardinal's kidnapping.
The kidnappers are said to be separatists, led by the so-called "General Chaomao", a former pastor. On 24 October, 8 children were killed by suspected separatist attackers in Kumba, in the southwest in an attack on their college, the Madre Francisca International Bilingual Academy (see Fides, 26/10/2020).
Meanwhile, many Cameroonians condemned the kidnapping of 90-year-old Cardinal Tumi. This comes less than a week after eleven Presbyterian Nursery and Primary School teachers were kidnapped from their school campus in Kumbo.
The Cardinal is committed to resolving the crisis that has shaken the north-west and south-west of Cameroon since 2016, and has repeatedly invited the government and English-speaking separatists to an integrative dialogue for a concerted solution to the conflict. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/11/2020)


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