Four days after being abducted along the Elele-Isiokpo road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Rev. Father Livinus Maurice and two others have been released.
Father Maurice, the parish priest of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Isiokpo, was kidnapped last Wednesday while returning from a hospital visit. The identities of the two others who were abducted alongside him have not yet been disclosed.
Confirming their release, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said a joint security operation led to their freedom early Sunday morning.
“Today, February 16, 2025, at about 06:30 am, information was received that the kidnapped victims, Rev. Father Livinus Maurice and others, have been released by their captors,” Iringe-Koko said.
She attributed the successful rescue to the pressure mounted by a combined security team, including police officers, soldiers from the Joint Task Force, and local vigilantes.
“Their release followed pressure from a combined security team comprising police officers, soldiers from the Joint Task Force in Isiokpo, and local vigilantes,” she added.
The victims have since been reunited with their families and are receiving medical attention.
Iringe-Koko further assured that security operatives are intensifying efforts to track down and arrest those responsible for the abduction.
The abduction prompted swift condemnation from the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt. The diocese, on behalf of the Bishop, Bernadine Anaele, had earlier called for the priest’s immediate and unconditional release.
Meanwhile, residents of Isiokpo have expressed relief over the development, calling on security agencies to intensify patrols and curb the rising cases of kidnapping in the region.
