BAMENDA, NOVEMBER 26, 2025 (CISA)- With only two days remaining before the ultimatum issued by Archbishop Andrew Nkea expires, tension is rising in the Catholic Archdiocese of Bamenda following the abduction of Fr John Berinyuy, a priest serving in Ndop Deanery.

In a strongly worded pastoral statement read in all parishes on November 23, Archbishop Nkea traced the sequence of events surrounding the kidnapping, condemned the growing wave of attacks on clergy, and called for decisive, peaceful action to secure the priest’s freedom.

The Archbishop, widely regarded as a leading advocate for peace and justice within Cameroon’s conflict-ridden North West and South West regions, said the abduction is part of a disturbing pattern of violence targeting priests and mission personnel, an escalation he said the Church “can no longer tolerate.”

Archbishop Nkea outlined specific deadlines for the immediate and unconditional release of Fr. Berinyuy.

According to his statement, he stated that “If by Wednesday, 26th November, 2025, the captors have not released Fr John, I request all the priests, religious personnel from all Catholic Institutions in Ndop Deanery to close down the parishes, schools and all other Catholic Institutions and leave the Deanery till further notice.”

He explained that this drastic decision is necessary because neither the bishop nor the faithful can guarantee the safety of pastoral agents in the area.

“This is because neither the Bishop nor the Christians whom they serve can guarantee the security of the priests and the religious personnel in this Deanery. The Priests should remove the Blessed Sacrament from all Churches, chapels and oratories and leave all tabernacles open.”

If the priest is not released by the second and final deadline, Archbishop Nkea warned that the Archdiocese would proceed with a peaceful, but resolute action.

“If by Friday, 28th November, 2025, Fr John is still in captivity, the Archbishop, all the priests, religious and members of Christ’s lay faithful of the Archdiocese will go down to Baba 1 and march to the place where Fr John is being held, and either bring him back home, or remain there until he is released,” he rallied.

This unprecedented call for mass mobilization reflects the Church’s increasing frustration with the kidnappings affecting its pastoral mission.

Archbishop Nkea reaffirmed the Church’s absolute stance against ransom payments, stressing that paying abductors fuels criminality and places more people at risk.

He lamented that the “frequent kidnapping of our Priests and Mission personnel has pushed us to the wall,” insisting that these violent acts must end immediately. He continued:

“There are many lay people who have suffered a lot from kidnappings, torture and violence within the Archdiocese of Bamenda, and we think these people need to live in tranquility and peace,” the Archbishop said.

The Archbishop also issued a direct appeal to military personnel to uphold their duty with integrity, urging them to protect civilians without exploiting or mistreating them.

“We are also hereby calling on military personnel who are supposed to maintain law and order and ensure the security of the people, to be professional and ethical in their relationship towards the people and not exploit them by collecting money from them or torturing them in any way,” Nkea appealed.

The conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions has stretched into its ninth year, marked by recurring attacks, kidnappings for ransom, destruction of property, and massive displacement. Archbishop Nkea appealed to all parties, government, separatist fighters, community leaders, and international partners, to intensify dialogue and end the crisis.

“Finally, I call on all the stakeholders in this crisis which is in its 9th Year, to do everything within their powers to dialogue and bring this crisis to an end. The people of the North West and South West Regions have suffered enough and they deserve to have a quiet life and go about their activities peacefully,” he stated.