The Police in Enugu State has said that a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Chijioke Amoke, abducted by unknown gunmen on November 2, has been released.
Amoke was the parish priest at the Onitsha-Enugu-Ezike Catholic Parish in Igbobeze North Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danazumi Doma, confirmed the release of the priest to theNews Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview in Enugu on Thursday.
He said the abductors released the priest unharmed on Wednesday night.
“The abducted priest has been reunited with his parish members,” he said and warned that the police would not condone any form of hooliganism.
When contacted, Rev. Fr. Simeon Ugwueze, Chairman of Justice and Peace Commission, Nsukka Diocese also confirmed the release.
He said Amoke was released by his abductors at Obollo-Afor, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu, where a police patrol team picked him up.
Ugwueze said, “The abducted priest was released by his abductors around 9pm on Wednesday night. The priest is in his parish in Onitsha-Enugu-Ezike.
“We give God all the honour and adoration that made it possible for the abductors to release Amoke.
“The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka is grateful to all who joined us in prayers to ensure the release of the kidnapped priest.
“We are especially grateful to journalists, who in their various publications condemned the targeting of a priest serving in the vineyard of God, for kidnap.”
NANrecalls that a High Mass was held on Wednesday in Nsukka by the dioceses seeking God's intervention for the release of the priest.
SOURCE: Punch Newspaper, 11 November 2011. http://punchontheweb.com
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