• Threatens to down all Catholic Churches, Schools, institutions by Wednesday deadline
By Richard Nde Lajong
The Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Bamenda and Ndop Deanery in particular is ready for a showdown if Ambazonia separatist fighters fail to release Rev Fr John Berinyuy Tata by Wednesday, 26 November, 2025. The latter has been in Ambazonia fighters’ captivity since Tuesday, November 18, 2025 as he accompanied three other priests and a lay man who went to negotiate the release of two priests kidnapped on Saturday, November 15.
In a Pastoral Letter issued on Sunday, 23 November 2025, 2025, the Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace, Andrew Fouanya Nkea said if by the end of the day, Fr John Berinyuy is not released by his captors, he is left with no choice than implement the following actions by Wednesday 26; “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.
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.” He urges the Priests to remove the Blessed Sacrament from all Churches, chapels and oratories and leave the tabernacles open.
The Letter furthers that if by Friday, 28 November Fr John is still in captivity, the Archbishop, all the priests, religious and members of Christ’s lay faithful in the Archdiocese of Bamenda will go down to Baba I and march to the place where Fr John is being held and either bring him back home, or remain there until he is released.
It should be noted that on Saturday, November 15, 2025 when the Parish Priest of Babessi and his Assistant were returning from Ndop where they participated at the inauguration of the Pax University Institute, they were abducted by gunmen in Baba I, and taken to an unknown destination.
Archbishop Nkea dispatched the Catholic Education Secretary, Rev Fr Charles Ngoubi who was accompanied by a lay man to look for the gunmen to try to discuss the release of the two priests. Fr Charles was joined by Fr John Berinyuy, Fr Michael Mua and Fr Paul Nkwain. When they arrived there, the gunmen decided to detain all seven of them.
On Thursday, 20 November, the Ambazonia kidnappers agreed to release the five priests and lay man but decided to hold back Fr John Berinyuy Tatah and demanded a ransom, which the Church hierarchy made it clear that the church never gives ransoms.
Archbishop Nkea’s Pastoral Letter states clearly that the recent of wave of kidnapping of Priests, and Mission personnel has “pushed us to the wall and we say that this should stop with immediate effect.” He also notes that so many lay people have suffered enough from kidnappings, torture and violence within the Archdiocese of Bamenda, and these people need to live in tranquility and peace.
The Chief Shepherd of the Bamenda Archdiocese calls 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 torture them in any way. He finally calls on all stakeholders in this crisis which is in its 9th year, to do everything within their powers to dialogue and bring this crisis to the end.
