A Nigerian priest was kidnapped from his home in northern Kaduna state, the local Roman Catholic diocese said in a statement on Tuesday, in the first such reported abduction of a clergyman in the state since July.
Armed gangs are rife across northern Nigeria where they rob or kidnap for ransom, and violence has been increasing, where thinly stretched security forces often fail to stop the attacks.
Fr. Christian Okewu Emmanuel, the chancellor for Kaduna Catholic diocese, said Rev. Fr. Abraham Kunat, a parish priest in Idon Gida village, was abducted from a home he was staying in in another town, after leaving his parish due to insecurity.
The Archdiocese of Kaduna said in a statement: “We solicit the prayerful support of the faithful and indeed all men and women of goodwill that God Almighty will take control of the situation, preserve our priest, and bring him back in one piece. Amen”
Nigeria has been facing the challenge of dealing with bandits and armed persons who kidnap citizens, mostly for ransom, but sometimes kill their abductees.
This latest abduction of Fr. Kunat in one in a series of kidnappings of members of the clergy or religious in Africa’s most populous country.
The last such reported abduction of a priest was on 16 October, when the Archdiocese of Onitsha requested prayers for the safe and unconditional release of Fr. Joseph Igweagu who was kidnapped on 12 October as he was returning to his parish residence after celebrating a Funeral Vigil Mass in Umunachi, Anambra State.
