By Mbah Godlove
Catholic priest Rev. Fr. John Berinyuy Tatah, held for weeks after being abducted by fighters in Ndop, has regained his freedom. In a video released shortly after his release, he thanked his captors for treating him with dignity and without violence. He seized the moment to call on the government of La République du Cameroun to stop its violent operations in Ambazonia, warning that the ongoing aggression has resulted in deaths, displacement and widespread suffering.
The priest had been seized on November 15 2025, as he and his vicar returned from Mass inaugurating the PAX University Institute in Ndop. The abduction — carried out by armed men claiming to be fighters for Ambazonia Defence Forces — alarmed religious and civil communities alike.
In response, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Bamenda, issued an ultimatum. He demanded the unconditional release of Fr. Berinyuy by November 26, warning that should the captors fail to comply, all Catholic institutions in Ndop Deanery would shut down, and churches evacuated.
On December 2, the Archdiocese confirmed Fr. Berinyuy’s release — the last of six priests abducted in the wave of kidnappings that shook Bamenda this autumn.
In his appeal, Fr. Berinyuy told Cameroonians and the international community that only dialogue, justice and respect for human dignity can end the cycle of violence. He implored church leaders, authorities and human-rights bodies to step in and help secure lasting peace for the people of Southern Cameroon.
