Rev. Elisha Numan of Baptist Church, Ungwan Makeri, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state has been released after 15 days in captivity.
The Baptist Pastor was abducted in his house by gunmen on Wednesday August 14, 2019 at about 2:00am, alongside his son Emmanuel Elisha.
However, the bandits later freed the son to go home and raise money for his father’s ransom.
Family sources said the release of the clergyman followed series of negotiations with the bandits who had initially demanded for N20 million ransom.
The source said Numan was released on Saturday evening after the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
“Our brother has been released by kidnappers on Saturday evening after we paid the ransom. We have been in trauma since he was kidnapped on August 14, considering the fact that he was not even feeling well.
“Since the security agencies seemed to be helpless in tackling these criminals, we can only pray to God to visit His wrath upon the criminals” the source said.
The source said the pastor returned home without any harm and was taken to the hospital for medical checks.
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Chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, who confirmed the release of the pastor in a telephone interview, on Sunday, called on the government and security agencies to do everything possible to addressed the increasing wave of kidnappings in Kaduna state.
“Rev. Elisha Numan was released on Saturday night after two weeks in captivity. He was released after a ransom was paid following series of negotiations with the bandits on the ransom.
“We thank God for His mercies, we pray for God’s intervention in the calamity that seemed to have befallen us as a nation.
“We will also continue to call on the government and the security agencies to do everything within their powers to stop the increasing rate of criminality across the country, especially the increasing wave of kidnappings in Kaduna.” Hayab said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
