Bamenda Archbishop, ANDREW NKEA, Orders Closure Of All Parishes And School In Ndop Deanery On Nov. 26, If Priest Abducted In Baba 1, Is Not Released
Joe Dinga Pefok (Uncle Joe)
“The Frequent Kidnappings Of Our Priests, And Mission Personnel, Has Pushed Us To The Wall, and We Say That This Should Stop With Immediate Effect. There Are Many Lay People Who Have Suffered A Lot From Kidnappings, Torture And Violence Within The Archdiocese Of Bamenda”. To Armed Gang Asking For Ransom: “We Have Made Our Position Clear That The Church Never Gives Ransoms”.
POPE LEO XIV Shares The Pains Of Priests Kidnapped In Cameroon.
The Archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Fuanya Nkea, known for often playing calm, has taken some tough decisions following the frequent kidnappings of priests and personnel of the Mission, as well as many lay people within the Archdiocese of Bamenda, with the latest case being the kidnapping of six Priests and a layman by a notorious armed gang passing for separatist fighters in Baba 1, Ngohketunjia Division in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. In the evening of Thursday, November 20, 2025, the gunmen released five of the six priests that they kidnapped, as well as the layman, but held back one of the priest, Father JOHN BERINYUY TATAH, demanding that the Catholic Church should pay ransom. The Mentor News gathered that the five priests that were released, included: Fr MICHAEL MUA, Fr CHARLES NGOUBI, Fr PAUL NKWAIN, Fr. LEONARD AKIUMBENI, and Fr HARIS WADINGHA, while the layman is FRANCIS KIKAH.
On Sunday, November 23, 2025, the Archbishop of Bamenda, Mgr ANDREW FUANYA NKEA, addressed a correspondence to all Clergy, religious men and women, which was read in all Churches in the Archdiocese. In the correspondence,, the Archbishop narrated the circumstances that led to the abduction of the total six priests and a layman, the release of five of the six priests and the layman, and the demand by the gunmen that ransom be paid, before the priest they held behind, Fr John Berinyuy Tatah, could be released. The Archbishop stated that they had made it abundantly clear to gunmen, that the Church never pays ransoms. He also noted that as by that Sunday, November 23, Fr John Berinyuy Tatah, was still in the hands of the armed gang at Baba 1.
Archbishop Communicates Line Of Action
In the face of the disturbing situation, and considering especially the frequent kidnappings or priests and Mission personnel, and his helplessness as well as the Christians to be able to guarantee the security of the priests, the Archbishop communicated a line of action that priests and Christians of the Bamenda Archdiocese have to follow, from that Sunday, November 23, to ensure the liberation of Fr John Berinyuy Tatah , by his captors.
The Archbishop warned that: “if by Wednesday, 26th November, 2025, the captors have not released Fr John, I request all the priests and religious personnel from all Catholic institutions in Ndop Deanery, to close down the Parishes, schools and all other Catholic institutions and leave the Deanery till further notice. This is because neither the Bishop, nor, the Christians whom they serve, can guarantee the security of the priests and religious personnel in this Deanery. The Priests should remove the Blessed Sacrament from all Catholic Churches, Chapels and oratories, and leave all tabernacles open”.
Archbishop Andrew Nkea further announced that is by Friday, November 28, 2025, Fr John Berinyuy Tatah is still not released, he all the Priest, religious and members of the Christ’s lay faithful of the Archdiocese will go down to Baba 1 near Ndop, and march to the place where the priest is being held, ‘either bring him back home, or remain there until he is released”. The Archbishop explained that, the frequent kidnappings of priests and Mission personnel has pushed them to the wall, “and we say that this should stop with immediate effect”.
Pope Leo XIV Share Pains Of Kidnapped Priests
Meanwhile in a Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, November 23, 2025, POPE LEO XIV, mentioned the case of hundreds of students and some of their teachers kidnapped by gunmen at a secondary school, St Mary Catholic Private School (boarding school), in Nigeria, and the Catholic Priests kidnapped in Cameroon. That is, the 6 priests that were kidnapped by gunmen in Baba I near Ndop in the Northwest Region, five of whom have been released, with one still in captivity. It would be recalled that a couple of years ago, Cardinal CHRISTIAN TUMI and Fon SEHM MBINGLO of Nso, were kidnapped by the notorious armed gang at Baba 1, passing for separatist fighters.
It looks like armed gangs in the Ndop Plain are increasing turning their guns towards members of religious communities. Less than two weeks a gang of gunmen sacrilegiously entered the Mosque at Sabga during prayers, and shot dead a number of Moslem faithful.. This incident was unprecedented in the Northwest Region, and there are fears that such an incident can lead to a new front in the Anglophone crisis that has rocked the Northwest and Southwest Regions for almost a decade, which is now being exploited by criminal gangs with different agendas.
BELOW IS THE EIGHT POINT MESSAGE, THAT THE ARCHBISHOP OF BAMENDA, ANDREW FUANYA NKEA, ADDRESSED TO THE CLERGY AND CHRISTIANS OF THE ARCHDIOCESE ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2025:
“1) On Saturday, 15th November, 2025, when the Parish Priest of Babessi and his Assistant were returning home from the Mass of the Inauguration of PAX University Institute of Ndop, they were abducted by Gunmen in Baba 1, who claim to be separatist fighters of the “Ambazonia”, and taken to an unknown destination.
2) On Tuesday, 18th November , 2025, 4 Priests and one Lay person went down to look for the Gunmen to try to discuss the release of the two priests, but when they arrived there, he Gunmen decided to detain all 7 of them,
3) On Thursday evening of 20th November, 2025, the Gunmen agreed to release the 5 Priests and Lay man, but decided to hold back Fr John Berinyuy Tatah, and demanded a ransom. We have made our position clear that the Church never gives ransoms,
4) Today is Sunday, 23rd November, 2025, the solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe and Fr John has still not been released. And so I hereby communicate to you all the line of action we are supposed to take to ensure his liberation from his captors.
- 1. From today, 23rd November, 2025, after communion during every Mass, the Faithful shall say the Prayer of St Michael the Archangel, for the liberation of Fr John from the hands of his captors.
4.2 If by Wednesday, 26th November, 2025, the captors have not released Fr John, I request all the Priests, religious personnel from all Catholic institutions in Ndop Deanery, to close down the Parishes, schools and all other Catholic institutions and leave the Deanery till further notice. This is because neither the Bishop, nor the Christians whom they serve, can guarantee the security of the Priests and the religious personnel in the Deanery. The Priests should remove the blessed Sacrament from all Catholic Churches, Chapels and oratories and leave all tabernacles open.
4.3 If by Friday, 28th November, 2025, Fr John is still in captivity, the Archbishop, all the Priests, religious and members of the Christ’s Lay Faithful of the Archdiocese will go down to Baba 1, and march to the place where Fr John is being held, and either bring him back home, or remain there until he is released.
5) The frequent kidnapping of our Priests and Mission personnel has pushed us to the wall, and we say that this should stop with immediate effect. There are many lay people who have suffered a lot from kidnappings, torture and violence within the Archdiocese of Bamenda, and we think these people need to live in tranquility and peace.
6) We are also hereby calling on military personnel who are supposed to maintain Law and Order, and ensure the security of the people, to be professional and ethical in their relationship towards the people, and not exploit them by collecting money from them or torturing them in any way.
7) Finally, I call on all the stakeholders in this crisis which is in its 9th year, to do everything within their powers to dialogue and bring this crisis to an end. The people of the North West and South West Regions have suffered enough, and they deserve to have a quiet life and go about their activities peacefully.
8) May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace and Mother of the Church, intercedes for us so that once again, peace may return to the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda”.
