Nigerian Bishop Works towards Release of Abducted Priest

May 27, 2021416 views0

Nigerian Bishop Works towards Release of Abducted Priest

2021-05-27T10:35:57+01:00

By Bede

A Nigerian Bishop, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has taken up the responsibility of negotiations to ensure the release of a retired priest kidnapped in the Northern part of Nigeria less than a week ago.The Nigerian Bishop stated that he spoke with the Priest’s abductors in the early hours of Friday, 21^st of May. He said: “We have established contact with the kidnappers and we are talking. It is one of the most painful experiences, talking and pleading with hardened criminals and murderers who, in a more civilised environment should be locked away for life, but before whose mercy you stand.”“From the voice of the man, he may be in his 30s. On Saturday, they asked for N100m and then came down to N50m and that is the way it goes. You make an offer and it keeps going on and on.”“As the security agencies will tell you, these men are just outright criminals, often working with locals in the communities who serve as informants. They just identify soft targets and their primary motivation is money.”“We have one of our persons negotiating with them, but it is a painful experience, often traumatic because of the inhuman ways they speak and the threats they make. Our only weapon is prayer.”The kidnappers had earlier killed one Father Alphonsus Bello, who took over from Father Keke as the Parish Priest of St. Vincent Ferrer in Malunfashi, Katsina State. According to Bishop Kukah: “Father Bello’s death is part of the senseless and endless losses that have engulfed our nation. We are all literally under the sword in Nigeria, a country that is being consumed by a barbaric horde of humanity.”“It is a sad loss but we as Christians and we as Priests always look ahead towards the promise that lies ahead.”“Our consolation is that, we ordained three Deacons only a few months back and we have five lined up for later in the year. We miss him, but the Lord’s work continues.”Source: Independent Catholic News