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Abducted Kaduna Priests: Bandits Kill One, Release One

Published

2 years ago

Jul 20, 2022.

Yinka Akanbi

Reverend Father Cheitnum and his colleague, Reverend Father Donatus Cleopas, were kidnapped by bandits on July 16 while they were on pastoral work at the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church
Reverend Father Cleopas, on his part, was said to have been released by the bandits after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to them as ransom

EDITOR’S PICK

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Reverend Father John Cheitnum, one of the two Catholic priests abducted in Lere Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, has been killed by his abductors.

Until his abduction and killing, the victim was the Director of Communications at the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, as well as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) In Jema’a LGA of the state.

Reverend Father Cheitnum and his colleague, Reverend Father Donatus Cleopas, were kidnapped by bandits on July 16 while they were on pastoral work at the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, Yadin Garu in Lere LGA.

The decomposing body of Reverend Father John Cheitnum was recovered on July 19, 2022

According to a statement by the Chancellor of Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Emmanuel Okolo, the decomposing body of the priest was discovered on Tuesday.

Reverend Father Cleopas, on his part, was said to have been released by the bandits after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to them as ransom.

In recent times, Kaduna State has witnessed several kidnapping incidents, most of which were targeted at religious leaders.

FURTHER READING

In the last one year, the Catholic Church of Kaduna Diocese alone has lost three of its priests to banditry, while four others were kidnapped and only regained their freedom after ransoms were paid to their abductors.

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