The Archdiocese of Onitsha in Nigeria and the papal foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) are calling for the immediate and safe release of Fr. Basil Gbuzuo, who was kidnapped on Wednesday, May 15.
Fr. Gbuzuo is the fourth priest kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024. Last year, a total of 28 priests were kidnapped in the African country.
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
In a statement released on May 16, the archdiocesan chancellor, Fr. Prudentius Aroh, reported that armed criminals kidnapped the priest on Wednesday around 8:00 am (local time), while he was driving along the Eke Nkpor-Obos bypass.
“Until now, the kidnappers have not established any contact with anyone,” he commented, referring to the modality in which these gangs operate when kidnapping members of the clergy, religious men and women, and seminarians.
The local archbishop, Bishop Valerian Maduka Okeke, is leading the prayer intention for the safety and eventual freedom of Fr. Gbuzuo, and invited “all the faithful of Christ and all men and women of good will to pray fervently for the “quick and safe release of the priest while we intensify our efforts to secure his freedom.”
“We commend our brother, Fr. Basil, to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, for his speedy release from the hands of his captors,” Fr. Aroh added.
ACN has expressed through a statement on May 17 his “deep concern” about what happened, and has requested the “immediate and unconditional release of Fr. Basil Gbuzuo.”
“We join the voice of the many Catholic leaders in Nigeria who have demanded that the Government end the plague of insecurity in the African nation. Benefactors are requested to kindly remember Fr Gbuzuo and all other kidnapping victims in their prayers,” he added.
Before Fr Gbuzuo’s abduction, Claretian priests Kenneth Kanwa and Jude Nwachukwu suffered the same fate in February, while Fr Tony Mukoro of the Diocese of Benin City was abducted in March. They were all released safely shortly after.
However, according to ACN, three priests kidnapped in previous years are still missing. Father John Bako Shekwolo has been missing since 2019, and priests Joseph Igweagu and Christopher Ogide were kidnapped in 2022, with nothing heard from them since.
Nigeria suffers from a serious lack of security, where kidnapping for ransom has become an industry. In 2023, Nigeria topped the list of countries with cases of kidnapped priests and religious, with 33 cases.
Diego López Marina
I was born in 1991. I have a degree in Communication Sciences. Since 2015 I have worked as a digital journalist. I started my career at the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio. In 2016, I started as an editor at ACI Prensa and I have worked as a web editor since 2018. Starting in 2024, I write the newsletter for social media. I specialize in Catholic news focused on the defense of life and family, international politics, technology, popular culture and the Vatican.