2023-05-29 22:58:00
May 29, 2023 / 3:58 p.m
Fr. Matthias Opara, the Nigerian priest who had been kidnapped on May 26 when he was returning from a funeral, was released yesterday Sunday, the day the Church celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost.
The release of the priest of the Catholic Holy Ghost Obosima parish was announced in a statement by the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Owerri (Nigeria), Fr. Patrick Mbarah.
“We thank Almighty God for his infinite mercy and for answering our prayers,” says Fr. Mbarah, who thanks the people of God for “their fraternal solidarity and prayers.”
“To God be the glory”, adds Fr. Mbarah.
In a previous statement, after the kidnapping of Fr. Opara, the chancellor had indicated that the Archbishop of Owerri, Msgr. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, had requested prayers for the release of the priest, who began his priestly ministry on July 14, 1990.
The May 26 kidnapping is the latest kidnapping committed against priests in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Fr Jude Kingsley Maduka, who serves in the Diocese of Okigwe, was kidnapped on May 19 and released after three days.
Likewise, the priests Chochos Kunav and Raphael Ogigba, kidnapped on April 29 in the Diocese of Warri in Nigeria, were released on May 4.
This West African nation has been battling a wave of violence orchestrated by gangs that carry out indiscriminate attacks and kidnapping for ransom, but also commit, in some cases, murder.
The country has lived since 2009, in addition, the insurgency of Boko Haram, a group whose objective is to turn it into an Islamic nation.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally posted on ICA Africa.
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