Fear spread across Kaduna on Wednesday after the Catholic Diocese of Zaria confirmed the abduction of Reverend Father Emmanuel Ezema from his parish residence.
According to reports, the priest was taken late Tuesday night, creating fresh anxiety in a state already battling rising insecurity.
The announcement came through a formal letter issued by the diocese chancellor, Reverend Father Isek Augustine.
He addressed the message to priests, parish workers, and the entire Catholic community, urging immediate prayers and calm.
According to the statement, Father Ezema was kidnapped around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2. The abduction took place inside the St. Peter’s Catholic Church compound in Rumi, where the priest lived and served.
The diocese said the attackers struck quietly and vanished before help arrived.
The chancellor called on Catholics and other concerned Nigerians to unite in prayer for the priest’s safe return.
“We call on all men and women of goodwill to pray for the safe and quick release of our Priest and others from the hands of their abductors,” he said in the letter.
He added that the Church remains confident in God’s protection, especially through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he described as “the Mother of all Priests.”
“We pray that our brother and all those in captivity return to us safe and sound,” he added.
The abduction marks another painful incident in a long list of attacks targeting religious leaders, Worshippers in Nigeria and beyond.
Efforts, including calls and text messages, to obtain comments from the Kaduna State police command on the incident went unanswered.