- Catholic priest Father Livinus Maurice was freed after four days of captivity in Rivers State.
- His release followed pressure from police, soldiers, and local vigilantes.
- Another priest, Father Jude Onyeka, was kidnapped in Onitsha and remains missing.
Rev. Father Livinus Maurice, the Parish Priest of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Isiokpo, Rivers State, has been released after being kidnapped last Wednesday.
Father Maurice was abducted along with two unidentified individuals while returning from a hospital visit on the Elele-Isiokpo Road in the Ikwere Local Government Area.
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The abduction of Father Maurice triggered an outcry from the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, which, on behalf of Bishop Bernadine Anaele, issued a statement demanding the priest’s unconditional release.
The local community and church members were left in fear as Father Maurice’s disappearance raised concerns about the rising cases of kidnapping in the region.
On Sunday, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the release of Father Maurice and the two others. According to Iringe-Koko, their freedom was secured thanks to the combined efforts of the police, soldiers from the Joint Task Force, and local vigilantes, who pressured the kidnappers into releasing the victims around 6:30 AM.
“The victims have been reunited with their families for medical attention, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the culprits,” Iringe-Koko stated. While Father Maurice and the others have been freed, the police continue to track down the individuals responsible for the crime.
In a related incident, another Catholic priest, Rev. Father Jude Onyeka, was abducted in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Thursday. Father Onyeka, formerly the Parish Priest of St. Edmund Catholic Church in Nkpor, was kidnapped along the Building Materials Section in Ugwunwasike Bypass, Ogidi, Idemili North LGA. Recently transferred to St. Dominic Catholic Church in Abatete, Father Onyeka remains missing, with no contact established by his abductors.
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The Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Rev. Father Prudentus Aroh, confirmed the abduction and urged prayers for Father Onyeka’s safe return. Archbishop Valerian M. Okeke also called on the faithful to seek divine intervention for the priest’s release.
The situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by religious leaders in Nigeria amidst the growing threat of kidnappings.
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