Two Catholic priests were kidnapped in Kaduna State on Friday evening by gunmen who were possibly bandits.
At Gure parish in the state’s Lere local government area, the priests John Cheitnum and Donatus Cleopas were kidnapped.
In a statement on Friday night, the Chancellor of the Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Emmanuel Okolo, acknowledged the incident.
He claimed that the two were abducted not long after they arrived at Christ the King Catholic Church’s parsonage in Yadin Garu, Lere LGA.
In recent weeks, at least six Catholic priests have been kidnapped in some regions of the nation, including the states of Kaduna and Edo.
The catholic priests were abducted just eight days after the Edo State Catholic priests – Rev. Fr. Peter Udo and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh – regained their freedom.
The statement read: “It is with great pain that we announce to you the kidnapping of two of our priests; Rev. Frs. John Mark Cheitnum and Donatus Cleopas.
“The sad event of their abduction occurred around 5.45 p.m. of July 15, 2022, shortly after the two priests who were on their way to a function at a different parish (Gure), arrived at the parısh rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, Yadin Garu, in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“As we solicit an intense prayer for their quick and safe release, we equally wish to call on all and sundry to refrain from taking the laws into their hands.”