Suspected kidnapper of priest church member, not mass server – Bishop clarifies

The Bishop of Yola Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza, has debunked claims that Taledo Damian, the recently arrested kidnapper of two Catholic priests, was a mass server or cleric within the diocese.

Speaking at a press conference in Yola, Bishop Mamza clarified that while the suspect was a church member, he held no official role.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the kidnapper is not a mass server, nor is he a cleric. There has been a lot of misinformation about his identity, and it is important to correct this,” the bishop stated.

He stressed the importance of safeguarding the reputation of the church’s clergy and mass servers, emphasizing that false information could damage their image.

The bishop commended the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilante operatives for their roles in rescuing the kidnapped priests.

“I sincerely appreciate the security agents who secured the release of the priests, particularly the DSS and the vigilante group in Numan. Their professionalism and swift action were commendable,” he said.

The priests—Rev. Father Mathew David Dusami of Yola Catholic Diocese and Rev. Father Abraham Samman of Jalingo Diocese—were abducted on February 22, 2025. Bishop Mamza revealed that the DSS and vigilante operatives worked tirelessly to track and rescue them.

According to him, security forces stormed the location where the priests were held and successfully freed them.

The suspect initially escaped arrest but later had an accident while fleeing on a motorcycle.

“He tried to surrender to the DSS, but somehow ended up in police custody instead,” Bishop Mamza explained.

Following their rescue, the two priests underwent medical examinations and were confirmed to be in stable condition. All evidence recovered from the suspect is now in DSS custody.

The bishop reaffirmed the church’s commitment to working with security agencies to ensure the safety of clergy members and worshippers.