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A Catholic priest, Rev’d Fr Mathias Opara, who was abducted last Friday has been freed.
The priest popularly known as Owu Ujo was kidnapped on Friday along Ejemekwuru- Ogbaku Road housing Oguta and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas of Imo State while driving back to Owerri after the funeral rites of the father of one of his colleagues at Izombe community in the Oguta LGA.
Th priest is in charge of Man of Order and Discipline of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.
A source close to the Archbishop of the archdiocese told our correspondent on Sunday that the priest was released on Sunday night.
He said that the Archbishop personally confirmed it to him that the priest was released by his abductors on Sunday night.
The source said “to the glory of God, Rev’d. Fr. Matthias Opara of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, who was kidnapped last Friday, by armed hoodlums, has been released unharmed, by his abductors.
“Details surrounding his release are sketchy for now, but the important thing is that he has been released.”
A source had told our correspondent the day the priest was kidnapped that the incident happened in his presence.
The source had said ” Rev. Fr. Mathias Opara popularly known as Owu Ujo has just been kidnapped along Ejemekwuru/Ogbaku Road. He was kidnapped alongside others he was in the same vehicle with.
“The incident happened right before us. We were also coming back to Owerri from the funeral rites of the father of another Catholic priest at Izombo in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.”
The Director of Social Communications of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rev’d Fr Raymond Nzereogu had confirmed the Kidnap of the priest and prayed his immediate release.
Our correspondent recalls that just last week the Catholic priest in charge of Christ the King Catholic church at Ezinachi/Ugwuago in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state, Jude Maduka, was kidnapped.
