Just In : Gunmen release kidnapped Catholic priest, professor
A Catholic Priest, Basil Chukwuemeka, who was kidnapped in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria, has been released.
Our heritage reporter reported that Mr Chukwuemeka, popularly known as Gbuzuo, was kidnapped on 15 May at Eke Nkpor by Obosi Bypass in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
The cleric is a priest in residence at Holy Trinity Parish, Ogidi, another community in the council area.
The Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Prudentius Aroh, announced the release of the kidnapped priest in a statement on Friday.
His release occurred exactly eight days after his kidnap.
“With hearts full of joy and gratitude to God, we wish to inform the general public that Rev. Fr. Basil Gbuzuo, a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, who was kidnapped since Wednesday, 15 May 2024, has regained his freedom,” Mr Aroh, also a Catholic priest, said in the statement.
“He was abandoned by his abductors yesterday, Thursday 23rd May 2024 somewhere around Ufuma at midnight,” he added.
Mr Aroh said Mr Chukwuemeka, upon being released, headed to the residence of the parish priest of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ufuma to knock at his door who consequently welcomed the released cleric.
The chancellor said the archbishop of the archdiocese, Valerian Okeke, has thanked all the Catholic faithful, including clergies and others who showed solidarity and prayed for the release of the cleric.
He said the archdiocese also commended the Anambra State Government and the state governor, Charles Soludo for his “solidarity and assigning his special adviser on security matters, Ben Chiobi, to lead the rescue team.”
He also praised the parish priest of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Ufuma for welcoming the freed cleric and providing him with basic necessities when he knocked on his door at midnight.
Police speak
The police in Anambra State have confirmed the release of the cleric.
The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Friday that a university lecturer who was abducted around the same period, was also released.
Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, identified the lecturer as Sydney Onyeagu, a professor at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nnaghe Obono, has “activated onslaught operations on the abductors of Fr. Basil Gbuzuo and Prof. Sydney Onyeagu after their release unhurt by the kidnappers.”
Mr Obono, according to the statement, assured that the police in the state were “in high spirits and already leveraging on information” on the kidnap of the individuals.
The police commissioner said the information at their disposal would help them “to frustrate criminal intentions of non-state actors and reduce crime to the barest minimum in the state.”
