Popular Kano Based Priest Resigns from Catholic Church a Year After he was Kidnapped

A popular Kano based Roman Catholic priest who was kidnapped last year, Father Gospel .J. Inalegwu, has “resigned” from priesthood, sending a wave of shock across the church.

Father Gospel .J. Inalegwu had since tendered his resignation letter to the Bishop of Kano Diocese, Most Rev. John Namawzah Niyiring and had traveled out of the state with all his belongings.

A priest of the Catholic Church who decried his action, said the Church was yet to recover from the shock of his unprecedented action.

He offered that the affected priest might have been affected by the trauma of his abduction, adding however that, “there could be other personal reasons behind his action”.

After the priest regained freedom, he was granted a period of rest, but was eventually asked to resume at his old parish contrary to his expectation, as According to Thesun he had anticipated to be posted elsewhere.

While confirming the incident His Lordship, the Bishop of Kano Diocese, Most Rev. John Namawzah Niyiring told Sunday Sun that,

“Priests do not resign as they do in the public service, but are laicized”

While confirming that Father Inalegwu was no longer available for his pastoral assignments in the diocese, he maintained that the only authority that could process the request of a priest wishing to return to a lay status was the Holy Father, the Pope.