AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Catholic priest kidnapped on February 12 in southern Nigeria has been released

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic priest who was kidnapped on February 12 along with two other people has been released.
The priest is Fr. Livinus Maurice, parish priest of St. Patrick's Church in Isokpo, in Rivers State, southern Nigeria. The priest was kidnapped on February 12 by armed men on the road from Elele to Isiokpo as he was returning from a hospital visit with two other people.
In an official statement, the Diocese of Port Harcourt, on behalf of Bishop Bernadine Anaele, had asked for the priest's unconditional release.
Thanks to the pressure exerted on the kidnappers, Fr. Livinus Maurice and the other two abducted were released on Sunday, February 16. According to a statement by the state police spokesperson, "their release was made following pressure from a mixed security team composed of police officers, soldiers of the Isiokpo Joint Task Force and local security officials. Operations to capture the kidnappers are still ongoing." Meanwhile, another Nigerian priest, Fr. Cornellus Manzak Damulak, who was kidnapped in the early hours of February 6 from his home in Zuma 2 neighborhood in the Bwari Area Council of the capital district, is still in the hands of the kidnappers (see Fides, 7/2/2025). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/2/2025)

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