The Owerri Archdiocesan Catholic Secretariat has confirmed the release of Rev. Fr. John Ubaechu, the Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Church, Izombe, who was abducted on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
In a statement issued early Thursday morning, Rev. Fr. Patrick Mbara, the Archdiocesan Chancellor and Secretary, announced that Ubaechu was freed on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the priest was kidnapped in the evening while traveling through Ejemekuru to Owerri for the annual retreat of priests in the Archdiocese.
Reports indicated that his abductors had demanded a ransom of N20 million for his release.
However, the official statement from Mbara did not provide details regarding the circumstances of Ubaechu’s freedom.
Titled “Notification on the Release of Rev. Fr. John Ubaechu,” the statement read in part, “I am directed to inform you that our priest, Rev. Fr. John Ubaechu, who was kidnapped on Sunday, March 23, 2025, has been released.
“He regained his freedom from his abductors today, March 26, 2025.
“We thank God for his infinite mercy and for answering our prayers. We appreciate your fraternal solidarity and prayers. To God be the glory.”
Expressing joy over the priest’s release, a parishioner at Holy Family Catholic Church, Izombe, who identified himself simply as Okey, called for urgent security intervention along the Ejemekuru axis of the Izombe/Ogbaku road.
“We thank God for the release of Fr. Ubaechu and at the same time call on the Imo State Government and security agencies to do something about the repeated incidents of violent crimes on the Ejemekuru axis of the Izombe/Ogbaku road.
“This same axis where Fr. Ubaechu was kidnapped on Sunday was exactly the same area that Fr. Mathias Opara was kidnapped sometime on May 26, 2023, after attending the burial of the late father of a brother priest in Izombe.
“Apart from the kidnapping of these two priests, several other kidnapping and armed robbery cases have been reported around that same spot, suggesting that the criminals have safe routes of escape around there,” he said.
Okey further urged authorities to establish a security checkpoint in the area to prevent further criminal activities.
