Priest kidnapped and murdered in Nigeria

Fr. John Gbakaan was kidnapped and murdered on the 15th of January, along the road from Lambata to Lapai in the State of Niger.
Fr. John Gbakaan was the parish priest of the church of St. Anthony in Gulu, in the Diocese of Minna. According to information provided by Fides news agency, he had gone to Makurdi in the state of Benue on January 14th to visit his mother, together with his brother and another priest.
“On January 15th, the priest and his brother were ambushed by armed men on their way back along the road from Lambata to Lapai,” Fides said. “The attack took place around 9 p.m. near the village of Tufa. The two brothers were abducted by armed men who turned to the diocese of Minna with a ransom demand on Saturday, January 16th.”
The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of 30 million nairas ($70,000), but later reduced it to 5 million nairas ($12,000).
Media reports did not say whether the ransom was paid, but the priest’s lifeless body was found near the site of the kidnapping.
Source: Aleteia.org