Nigerian Priest Freed After Five Days in Captivity
Rescued with five others in Benue State, he is the second priest seized from the same parish amid continuing violence against Christians.
Fr. John Inalegwu Otache, parish priest of St. Margaret’s Parish in Ajegbe-Awume in the Diocese of Otukpo, was released on the evening of Sunday, October 18, 2026, after five days in captivity. Security forces rescued him along with five other victims in Benue State, north-central Nigeria.
The priest had been abducted on Tuesday, October 13, while returning home from Otukpo along the Otobi Amejo–Ajegbe road in Ohimini Local Government Area. Benue State police confirmed the release on October 18. Police Public Relations Officer Deputy Superintendent Aondogu Orchia stated that the victims were taken to Otukpo University Teaching Hospital for medical examinations. Local vigilante groups reportedly assisted in the operation.
Joy and Gratitude in Otukpo
The Diocese of Otukpo announced the news in a communiqué: “It is with hearts filled with joy and gratitude to God that we announce the release of our priest, the Reverend Father John Inalegwu Otache.”
Bishop Michael Ekwoyi Apochi expressed “sincere appreciation” to priests, religious, the lay faithful, and people of goodwill for the prayers and solidarity that “made the priest’s safe return possible,” giving “all the glory to God.”
In the October 18 statement, Chancellor Fr. Joseph Itodo wrote: “It is with hearts full of joy and thanksgiving to God that we notify you of the safe release of our priest, Rev. Fr. John Inalegwu Otache, from abduction.” He prayed for others still held captive: “We pray that God will preserve us from all evil and restore sanity to our country, Nigeria.”
A Pattern of Violence Against the Local Church
The kidnapping marks the second abduction of a priest from St. Margaret’s Parish. Approximately three years earlier, Rev. Fr. Anthony Adikwu was seized in a similar attack. In July 2026, seminarian Kelvin Ochai was abducted from the bishop’s residence in Otukpo, underscoring how clergy and those in formation have become preferred targets.
The episode belongs to Nigeria’s wider security crisis, long marked by criminal gang violence, kidnappings for ransom, the Boko Haram insurgency that began in 2009, and assaults linked to Fulani herdsmen militias. Catholic communities in Benue and across the Middle Belt have paid a heavy price, with priests and faithful taken from roads, rectories, and even the bishop’s house.
Fr. Otache’s return is a concrete answer to the prayers of the faithful. It also renews the Church’s plea for effective protection of Christians and for an end to the impunity that leaves pastors and their flocks exposed. Many other captives remain in the hands of their abductors; the diocese’s prayer for their freedom and for the restoration of peace in Nigeria continues.