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Nigeria’s Yola Catholic Diocese Celebrates Release of Priest After 10-Day Captivity

Fr. Oliver Buba, freed in Nigeria's Catholic Diocese of Yola after 10 days in captivity. Credit: Yola Diocese

By Jude Atemanke

Yola, 30 May, 2024 / 8:02 pm (ACI Africa).

Fr. Oliver Buba, the Catholic Priest who, was abducted on May 21 in the Catholic Diocese of Yola in Nigeria has been set free.

In a Thursday, May 30 statement shared with ACI Africa, the Local Ordinary of the Nigerian Catholic Diocese, Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza, expressed his gratitude at the release of Fr. Oliver.

“With our hearts full of joy and thanksgiving, we wish to inform the general public that Fr. Oliver Buba, a Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, who was kidnapped in the early hours of Tuesday 21" May, 2024 around 01:00am in the Father's rectory in St. Rita's Catholic Church, Bare in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State has regained his Freedom,” the Nigerian Bishop said in the one-page statement.

Bishop Mamza says the member of the Clergy of Yola Diocese “was released by his abductors at the early hours of today being Thursday, 30th day of May, 2024.”

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop thanked and appreciated “all the men and women of goodwill for your prayers and show of solidarity during our trying and challenging moments.”

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“May the good Lord bestow His blessings and peace upon you all. May the grace and peace of Christ be with you always,” Bishop Mamza implored.

Nigeria has been battling with a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing.

Boko Haram insurgency has been a major challenge in the country since 2009, a group that allegedly aims to turn Africa's most populous nation into an Islamic nation.

The latest abduction and release of Fr. Oliver follows a series of other kidnappings that have targeted members of the Clergy in Africa’s most populous nation.

On May 15, the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha announced the abduction of Fr. Basil Gbuzuo. He was later set free.

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Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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