Ambazonia gun men who abducted Fr Felix Ezeaka Sunday of Nigerian nationality as he left church yesterday, have freed him unharmed.
The Voice has learnt that their key goal was to get an explanation as to why Bishop George Nkea attended the Major National Dialogue convened by the government two weeks ago in Yaounde.
He was not molested but kept overnight in captivity. His colleague in Bamenda, Paul Njokikang coordinator of a catholic NGO Caritas was taken from his car by soldiers, on his way to church in the outskirts of town.
No reasons have yet been advanced for his arrest. But as head of Caritas, he has on numerous occasions intervened and negotiated the freedom of several persons abducted by separatist fighters.
Both priests are also involved in relief operations for hundreds of thousands of IDPs and victims of war in the two afflicted English-speaking regions.
Father Paul was initially taken to the Military camp at the Bafut Airport according to authorities at the Bamenda Arch Diocese who did not want to be named for fear of their safety.
They told The Voice that he
“is arbitrarily being held at the military…”
Father Paul is the curate of the Ntambeng parish and had gone for an outstation mission this Sunday.
The government has not officially stated why the priest was taken away. The military have not released any statement on the accusations they might have against him.
The humanitarian community of the North West Region is calling for his immediate release.
The church has often described Father Paul Njokikang “a descendant of Mother Theresia” given his good works towards people rendered poor and vulnerable by the conflict raging in the English-speaking regions.
The priest shot into fame when he addressed the UN security Council Cameroon last April about the conflict in Cameroon.
Caritas Australia is the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, working in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and Indigenous Australia.
Caritas Australia is part of Caritas Internationalis, which supports emergency aid and grassroots programs in over 200 countries and territories.