In an official letter dated today, 12 October 2021, the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Rev Fr Emmanuel Uche Okolo, has asked for prayers for the safe release of the three Theology Four Seminarians from Christ the King Major Seminary, who were abducted yesterday October 11, 2021 at about 7:26PM Nigerian time.
The unfortunate event took place in the Seminary Chapel in Fayit, Fadan Kagoma, in Jema’s Local Government, Kaduna State.
Apart from the kidnapped seminarians, six other seminarians sustained various degrees of injuries. But they’ve all been treated and are fine. God be praised.
The Chancellor has also asked all friends and well wishers of the Seminary to desist from taking laws into their hands, assuring all that every legitimate means was currently being explored to secure the safe release of the kidnapped seminarians.
Sahara reporters writes that J.F. Dabo, an assistant to the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, claims that the bandits contacted the father of one of the three captives and made the demand of 50 million naira.
Some locals said the incident lasted for over an hour before local hunters and vigilante intervened and “chased the terrorists away.”
Recall that this isn’t the first time Seminarians have been abducted in Kaduna State.
On Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, four seminarians, namely, Pius Kanwai, 19; Peter Umenukor, 23; Stephen Amos, 23; and Michael Nnadi, 18, were abducted in a 30-minute operation that saw the kidnappers, dressed in military uniform and armed with guns, force their way onto Good Shepherd Catholic Major Seminary Campus, of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, which is home to 268 seminarians.
May God hear our prayers for our country, and may God touch the minds of our leaders to actually do something about the nagging insecurity, Amen.
© Oselumhense Anetor, 2021.
Photo Credit: A cross section of Seminarians in the Chapel (Facebook Page of Christ the King Major Seminary, Kafanchan Diocese).
