Adamawa Court Sentences Three to Death for Priest Abduction
The priests were freed after 15 days with no ransom paid, a rare outcome in Nigeria where many kidnapped victims remain missing even after ransom.
On October 22, an Adamawa State High Court in Yola sentenced Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf to death for the February 22, 2025 abduction of Reverend Matthew Dutsemi and Reverend Abraham Sauman from the rectory of St. Anne Catholic Church in Numan County.
Justice Christopher Mapeo imposed the capital sentences for kidnapping and armed robbery, along with prison terms of 14 years for conspiracy to kidnap, 21 years for armed robbery and 20 years for harboring a kidnapped person.
Rescue Without Ransom
The two priests were held for 15 days in strict confinement inside Demiel’s property. A joint operation by the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilantes freed them on March 8, 2025, without any ransom being paid.
An anonymous security operative said the suspect abandoned the ransom collection when he sensed operatives nearby and fled, leaving his motorcycle behind. Agents identified the vehicle as his, forced open his house and found the priests locked in a room.
Both priests testified in person about the roles Medan and Yusuf played during the abduction and confinement.
Some accounts wrongly described the mastermind as an altar server. Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza of the Diocese of Yola corrected the record: “The kidnapper is neither a Mass server nor a clergy. He was simply a member of St. Anne’s Catholic Church. It is important to correct the misinformation about his identity.” The bishop also said the incident “reinforced our belief in the need for stronger security collaborations.”
Broader Crisis for Nigeria’s Church
The verdict brought the national tally of DSS-secured death sentences for violent crimes to seven in 2026. The outcome remains uncommon in a country where some kidnapped victims stay missing even after ransom is paid.
Dennis Amachree, a security consultant and former deputy director of the DSS, said political interference hinders security agencies from performing their constitutional duties independently. Prof. Uchenna Emelonye, a professor of human rights law, stated that kidnapping thrives because detection is weak, intelligence is poor and institutions are fragile, noting that at least 14 Nigerian states already prescribe death for aggravated kidnapping.
For Nigeria’s Catholic communities, each conviction and each continuing captivity underscore the urgent need for protection of clergy and faithful who continue to serve amid persistent violence.