The Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Edo State, has confirmed the release of Rev. Fr. Thomas Oyode, who was abducted last month.
The Diocese’s Director of Communications, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, announced in a statement that Fr. Oyode was freed at approximately 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, near a village close to Ajaokuta in Kogi State.
Rev. Fr. Oyode was taken on October 27, 2024, when gunmen stormed the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi-Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area. The assailants struck during evening prayers, disrupting the gathering of priests and seminarians.
“The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Dunia, expresses gratitude to all for the prayers and moral support received for the eleven days Fr. Thomas Oyode was held captive, including Catholic faithful within and outside the Diocese, well-meaning Nigerians within and outside the country, friends and well-wishers around the world, as well as security agencies, various vigilante groups and hunters who laboured day and night in search of Fr. Thomas Oyode,” the statement read.
The Bishop also called on all levels of government to address the escalating security issues in Edo North Senatorial District and across Edo State, stressing the need for swift action to restore safety and ensure that citizens can return to their daily lives without fear.
