The senior Nigerian priest kidnapped earlier this week, allegedly by Fulani herdsmen, has been released.
Fr Emmanuel Dim, Rector of Tansi Major Seminary, was with two other priests, who were both injured when they were attacked on Monday. Dim was kidnapped after the car in which he was travelling was stopped.
One of the priests, Fr Chukwuemeka, a university chaplain, was shot in the head and is receiving treatment in hospital.
The Chancellor of the Diocese of Awka, Fr Francis Chidume, told the Fides news agency that no ransom was paid and that the diocese thanked God for his his released.
The Bishop of Awka, Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, has asked the State of Enugu and federal authorities to ensure the security of the population. Conflict between the Muslim Fulani herdsmen and the Christian population reflects clashes between nomadic pastoralists and settled farmers, whose ways of life are in tension.
The kidnapping is the latest in a spate of incidents involving clergy in Nigeria. On the same day a Vincentian priest whose name has not been confirmed was kidnapped with his brother. Another priest, Fr Emmanuel Ugwu, was kidnapped in August and a seminarian was murdered.
