Bandits have killed one of the two Catholic priests they recently abducted in Lere Local Government Area (LGA) Kaduna State and freed the other.
The terrorists abducted Reverend Father Cheitnum and his colleague, Reverend Father Donatus Cleopas, on July 16. They were kidnapped while they were on pastoral work at the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, Yadin Garu in Lere LGA.
While Cheitnum was murdered by his abductors, Cleopas was set free.
Cheitnum was the Director of Communications at the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, as well as the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) In Jema’a LGA of the state.
A statement on Tuesday by the Chancellor of Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Emmanuel Okolo, said that the decomposing body of the priest was discovered on Tuesday.
The bandits, it was learnt, freed Cleopas, after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to them as ransom.
There have been rising cases of abduction of clerics in Kaduna State in recent times.
Catholic Church of Kaduna Diocese alone, has in the last year, lost three of its priests to banditry, while no fewer than four others were abducted and later regained their freedom after ransoms were paid to the terrorists.
