CAMEROON: Cardinal Christian Tumi Released by Abductors

By CISA

BABESSI, NOVEMBER 6, 2020 (CISA)-Cardinal Christian Wihgham Tumi, Archbishop Emeritus of Douala and main defender of dialogue for the resolution of the Anglophone crisis, has been released by abductors.

“He actually called me to keep me informed of his kidnapping. His captors did not brutalize him. He told me that he had undergone an interrogation, without going into details, I tried to recall him this morning without success,” Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala told Lacroix Africa on Friday, November 6.

While confirming reports about the abduction in a statement released Friday November 6, Fr Oliver Ndi, the Vicar General of Kumbo Diocese, said the Cardinal went missing on Thursday, November 5.

“We should ring all bells continuously from 6am to gather the Christians for prayers in our Churches and to go in search of the kidnapped,” Fr Ndi said calling on Christians to come out and assist.

Cardinal Tumi is reported to have been kidnapped in Babessi, North West Region of Cameroon along Bamenda-Kumo road. He was in the company of the paramount ruler King Fon of Nso who was heading back to his traditional palace after months of self-imposed exile due to the armed conflicts between government troops and secessionists.

The kidnappers are suspected to be a group of “Ambazonian” separatists.  On October 24, 8 children were killed by alleged separatist assailants in Kumba, during an attack at the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy.