On Monday, March 10, Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza, the Bishop of Yola Catholic Diocese, addressed the public and corrected false claims about Taledo Damian, the man arrested for kidnapping two Catholic priests.
The bishop clarified that while the suspect was a member of the church, he was neither a mass server nor a cleric, as previously reported.
Speaking at a press conference in Yola, Bishop Mamza said, “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 also emphasized the need to protect the reputation of the clergy and mass servers, stating that spreading false information could harm their image.
Bishop Mamza expressed gratitude to the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilante groups for their efforts 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 two priests, Rev. Father Mathew David Dusami from Yola Catholic Diocese and Rev. Father Abraham Samman from Jalingo Diocese, were kidnapped on February 22, 2025. Bishop Mamza revealed that the DSS and vigilante operatives worked tirelessly to track and rescue the priests.
According to the bishop, security forces stormed the location where the priests were held and successfully freed them. The suspect initially escaped arrest but was later involved in 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.
After 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 churchgoers.
