2 priests, Canadian nun abducted in Cameroon
Italy's foreign ministry said the abduction occurred during the night in Nigeria
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-04-05 16:16 GMT
Rome: Officials say two Italian priests and a Canadian nun working as missionaries in northern Cameroon have been abducted.
Italy's foreign ministry said the abduction occurred during the night between Friday and Saturday about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border with Nigeria.
It identified the priests as Giampaolo Marta and Gianantonio Allegri, but declined to give other details, including the Canadian's identity, to avoid compromising efforts for the missionaries' release.
A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, said Pope Francis was told early Saturday about the abduction, was praying for the three and "expressed hope for a solution." Benedettini said the priests were assigned from the Vicenza diocese in northeast Italy.
The Italian news agency ANSA quoted diocesan officials as saying the nun is 80.