Breaking: Kidnapped Catholic Priests in Pankshin Regain Freedom

Frs Kenneth Kanwa, CMF, and Jude Nwachukwu, CMF, the two Catholic priests who were kidnapped at their rectory at St. Vincent De Paul Parish, Fier in Pankshin, Plateau state, on February 1, have regained freedom, according to multiple sources close to the Claretian Missionaries. “We have received confirmation that our two abducted brothers…have been released,” Fr Jude Ofuani, CMF, a leading Nigerian Claretian said.

Kanwa and Nwachukwu are Claretians, a Catholic clerical religious congregation, on a mission in the Catholic Diocese of Pankshin where they were kidnapped. A day after their abduction, the provincial secretary, Fr Dominic Ukpoung, CMF, released a statement soliciting prayers to enable the safety and quick release of the priests from captivity.

A few days ago, news emerged that the abduction was masterminded by a gang led by the financial secretary of the Fier parish, who were demanding a ₦25 million ransom. JoeyOffAir has not confirmed these allegations, and the Claretian Missionaries in Nigeria and the Catholic Diocese of Pankshin have yet to respond to comments on the allegations which went viral on social media.

This is a developing story, we will update it with more details.