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| Rev Father Pallu |
Gunmen have kidnapped an Italian priest Maurizio Pallu in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
According to reports, Pallu was abducted on Thursday in broad daylight by armed men just outside of Benin City.
"Pope Francis has been informed about the Italian priest Maurizio Pallu kidnapped in Nigeria and he is praying for him,” chief Vatican spokesman Greg Burke wrote on Twitter on Friday evening.
In addition, the Vatican Radio noted that the 63 year old priest, stationed in Nigeria for three years, was travelling with a group of four other people when they were attacked and robbed by armed men who took Pallu but let the others go.
Confirming the story, the Abuja Archbishop, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, told TV2000, an Italian Catholic TV channel, that “the security forces are doing everything possible to find him.”
"For the moment, we don’t have any good news but we are confident and will continue to hope that Father Maurizio will be freed.”
Tags
Crime