A Catholic priest has been kidnapped in Nigeria.
According to The Catholic Herold, Fr Emmanuel Azubuike, the parish priest of St. Theresa in the Okigwe Diocese, was abducted in Obollo, Imo State, while returning home from an assignment.
Imo, located in southeastern Nigeria, has a predominantly Christian population.
Church officials confirmed the kidnapping, urging prayers for his safe return.
“We ask for your heartfelt prayers that he may return to us unharmed, while counting on your goodwill and solidarity,” said Fr. Princewill Iwuanyanwu.
The police have launched an investigation aimed at rescuing the priest and apprehending the perpetrators.
“The Commissioner of Police has assembled a high-powered investigation team to ensure the rescue of the priest and capture of those responsible,” said Henry Okoye from the Imo state police.
The incident has sparked widespread calls for his release, resonating across Nigeria and beyond. Fr Petros Mwale from Malawi wrote on X, expressing concern for the safety of clergy in Nigeria and praying for Azubuike’s swift release.
This abduction adds to a series of kidnappings targeting clergy in Nigeria. On 27th October, Fr. Thomas Oyode, Rector of the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in the Auchi Diocese, was also kidnapped and remains missing.
Earlier this year, priests such as Fr Gabriel Ukeh and Fr Basil Gbuzuo were abducted, with some later released.
A report by Beacon Consulting, a security firm based in Abuja, recorded over 4,000 abductions and nearly 10,000 killings by gunmen in 2023.
“Kidnappings occur frequently—almost daily,” said Emeka Umeagbalassi, director of the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law.
He suggested potential complicity by military personnel, who might receive bribes following successful kidnappings.
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto described the crisis as “an epidemic of kidnappings,” revealing that his diocese had spent significant sums to secure the release of church members.
SB Morgen Intelligence noted that between 2011 and 2020, over $18 million (£773,700) was paid in ransoms, often by families and the government.