John Otache, parish priest of St Margaret Catholic Church in the Ajegbe-Awume area of Ohimini Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, who was abducted on October 13, has regained his freedom.
Aondogu Orchia, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, said in a statement on Monday that Otache was rescued alongside five other kidnap victims by security personnel on Sunday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the police spokesperson said the abductees were taken to Otukpo Teaching Hospital for medical checks.
The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, in a statement signed by its chancellor, Joseph Itodo, said the priest was returning home from Otukpo when he encountered the abductors along the Otobi Amejo-Ajegbe Road in the LGA.
Itodo expressed sadness over the incident, saying Michael Apochi, Bishop of the Otukpo Diocese, was deeply pained by the development.
Otache’s abduction came three months after Kelvin Ochai, a seminarian, was abducted from the bishop’s residence in Otukpo.
In response to “repeated attacks”, the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, a town in Benue State, on Tuesday ordered the temporary closure of its institutions in Ihugh, a community in Vandeikya LGA of the state.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by William Avenya, bishop of the diocese, and Marcellinus Wende, its chancellor.
Ihugh is the hometown of Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue State, who reportedly served as a Catholic priest under the diocese before entering politics.
The affected institutions are St Winifred Girls Secondary School, St Thomas Hospital, St Winifred Nursery and Primary School, and St Winifred Parish, all in Ihugh.
The directive also ordered the withdrawal of pastoral agents from the community.
