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The Church of Nigeria's number two man, the Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey has been freed, sources in Nigeria tell Anglican Ink.
The archbishop is understood to have been unharmed, but no details as to the events surrounding his release have been confirmed by the Church of Nigeria.
On 6 September 2013, Archbishop Kattey and his wife were abducted as they drove from their home in Eleme to Port Harcourt. Beatrice Kattey was released unharmed, but the kidnappers fled into the bush with the archbishop.
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria told the Church of Nigeria's standing committee he would no rest until the archbishop was freed. On 13 September 2013 the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby described the kidnapping as 'deeply shocking', and called on the church to pray for Archbishop Kattey, along with the people and leaders of Nigeria.
"The kidnapping of Archbishop Kattey is deeply shocking for all those who pray for and love the people and country of Nigeria," he said, adding: "Throughout the church let us pray for him, his family, for His Grace Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), and for the government and people of Nigeria."
Archbishop Kattey -- the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop of the Province of the Niger Delta and bishop of Niger Delta North -- was the third bishop kidnapped in three years. In 2010 two bishops were kidnapped and held for ransom by bandits, and were released unharmed after a few days. The church declined to say if it paid a ransom in those cases, but last week the Diocese of Niger Delta North said it would not pay a ransom for the archbishop's return as that would only encourage more attacks.
The archbishop is understood to have been unharmed, but no details as to the events surrounding his release have been confirmed by the Church of Nigeria.
On 6 September 2013, Archbishop Kattey and his wife were abducted as they drove from their home in Eleme to Port Harcourt. Beatrice Kattey was released unharmed, but the kidnappers fled into the bush with the archbishop.
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria told the Church of Nigeria's standing committee he would no rest until the archbishop was freed. On 13 September 2013 the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby described the kidnapping as 'deeply shocking', and called on the church to pray for Archbishop Kattey, along with the people and leaders of Nigeria.
"The kidnapping of Archbishop Kattey is deeply shocking for all those who pray for and love the people and country of Nigeria," he said, adding: "Throughout the church let us pray for him, his family, for His Grace Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), and for the government and people of Nigeria."
Archbishop Kattey -- the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop of the Province of the Niger Delta and bishop of Niger Delta North -- was the third bishop kidnapped in three years. In 2010 two bishops were kidnapped and held for ransom by bandits, and were released unharmed after a few days. The church declined to say if it paid a ransom in those cases, but last week the Diocese of Niger Delta North said it would not pay a ransom for the archbishop's return as that would only encourage more attacks.
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