Abuja, 22 March, 2022 / 9:25 pm (ACI Africa).
Negotiations for ransom demanded for the safe release of three Catholic Nuns abducted from a Nigerian Benedictine Community have not yet been successful, Nigeria Catholic Network (NCN) has reported.
In the Monday, March 21 report, the media initiative of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), and the National Directorate of Social Communications makes reference to an “update” from the Prior of Ewu Ishan Monastery.
“The latest news, this evening is that the kidnappers called the monastery requested for N20,000,000.00 (twenty million Naira),” NCN has reported referring to a sum of US$48,000.00 that the Benedictine Nuns in the Monastery of Kogi in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria were to give to secure the release of the three Sisters.
The Benedictine Nuns “pleaded that they do not have that amount” and explained “that they are poor and live on charity,” NCN has further reported, adding that after listening to the pleas of the Sisters, the kidnappers revised their figure downwards to US$45,600.00.
On their part, the Benedictine Nuns said they would offer the kidnappers US$240.00, an offer that was rejected. “The kidnappers told them to keep that money for the burial of the three sisters,” the Catholic media entity indicates in the March 21 report.