This week’s Morning Star News story that Reverend Polycarp. Zongo had been released was contradicted yesterday by a Nigerian lawyer who spoke with The Christian Post.

“Rev. Zongo [of the Church of Christ in Nations] has not yet been released by the abductors, contrary to the false information earlier asserted,” said Nigerian Christian lawyer Dalyop Solomon.

Zongo was kidnapped along with two Christian women as they traveled from his church base in Jos, Plateau State, to attend a conference, according to his statements in a video released last Thursday by ISWAP. There has been no word on the fate of the abducted women.

Also reported by The Christian Post, Para Mallam – head of the Nigerian Gideon – said announcements of Zongo’s release were “fake news.”

“We have been sold fake news. Unfortunately, we fell for it. We believed that maybe there was some truth in this. But there was not.”

“You can imagine the harrowing pain his wife and children and friends are going through right now.”

The “fake news” of his release apparently came from an unidentified source on WhatsApp, according to The Christian Post.