There was anxiety across the country on Friday following gunmen’s abduction of five pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) by gunmen at the Ogbere stretch of Benin-Shagamu Expressway on Thursday.
With the news of the abduction came that of the killing, on the same day, of a Catholic priest by gunmen in Enugu.
The police said last night that they had geographically located the five RCCG ministers.
The pastors were on their way to a conference of RCCG ministers preceding the annual convention of the church when they ran into the hoodlums.
The convention is scheduled to open on Monday.
News of their abduction was broken on Friday by the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, at the Redeemed Camp in Ogun State.
Killed in Enugu was Rev Father Paul Offu, who until his death was the parish priest of St. James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka in Nkanu West Local Government, Enugu State.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, condemned the murder and asked the federal government to act fast on the security challenge in the country.
A shocked Adeboye charged the congregation to pray for the release of the five RCCG pastors.
He said it was the first time the church would have that kind of experience.
He said: “As a father, how do you think I should feel to hear that five of my children have been kidnapped while on their way to attend the Ministers Conference?”
The Ogun State Police Command said it had geographically located the forest where the five –four men and a female- were being kept by their abductors.
In the kidnappers’ den, according to the spokesman for the police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, are Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze and Ibeleji Chidinma (female).
Oyeyemi told reporters in Abeokuta that the victims were abducted at the J3 stretch of the Lagos –Benin Road at Ogbere in Ogun State.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police rescue team was trying to be tactical and professional in storming the location to avoid jeopardizing the lives of the victims.
He said: “On the 1st of August 2019, at about 3:30 pm, the Ogun State Police Command received information that a commercial vehicle with registration number KW 230 XA belonging to Abia Line Transport Company was coming from the Eastern part of the country heading towards Lagos.
“On getting to J3 area of Ogbere, some hoodlums numbering about 10 suddenly came out of the forest and forcefully stopped the vehicle.
“Five amongst the passengers, namely Chidioze Eluwa, Chiemela Iroha, Okoro Ohowukwe, Ndubuizi Owuabueze and Ibeleji Chidinma (female) were abducted and taken into the forest.
“The commissioner of police CP Bashir Makama is personally leading the operation to rescue the victims with operatives from the command’s tactical squads combing the entire area.
“The hideout of the hoodlums has been geo-located but our men are trying to be tactical and professional in order not to jeopardize the lives of the victims we are making efforts to rescue.
“With the operation going on presently, we are rest assured that the victims will soon regain their freedom and the hoodlums will definitively be brought to book.”
Force headquarters spokesman, Frank Mba, said on TVC yesterday that a massive search and rescue operation was underway in Ogun State to free the victims and a separate operation in progress in Enugu to arrest the killers of Offu.
Enugu launches air surveillance in flashpoints after Catholic priest’s murder
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, heads of security agencies, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the state launched into an emergency security meeting at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday following Thursday’s killing of Rev. Fr.Offu by unknown gunmen.
The meeting ordered an air surveillance in all the flashpoints with effect from Monday.
Besides, Ugwuanyi directed the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act.
On a general note, the security architecture of the affected areas will be reviewed.
Police Commissioner Suleiman Balarabe told reporters that the meeting observed with deep concern the proliferation of dangerous arms in the state.
Consequently, all those in possession of illegal weapons were given three days to submit them to the police “after which anybody found with illegal weapons will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
He also said that the state government resolved at the emergency meeting to employ the services of Forest Guards and equally strengthen the services of the Neighborhood Watch groups in the state.
Also speaking, the Anglican Archbishop of Enugu, the Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, appealed to the police authorities to increase the number of policemen in the state.
He said that the state remains safe and secure for everybody,” adding: “We are not afraid and nobody should think that he can get Enugu State into a state of violence or insecurity.
The emergency came soon after the police in the state and the Director of Communication, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, confirmed Offu’s death.
Offu’s killers were said to have abducted a commercial car driver during the incident.
The driver’s name was given as Kenneth Igwe.
Igwe’s fate was unknown at press time.
Achi said that the deceased was taken away and killed along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.
The director of communication said that the situation had become unbearable as another Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ikechukwu Ilo escaped assassination on June 19, 2019.
He said that Ilo was still recuperating from the gun shots he received along Numeh- Nenwe road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
“As we speak, Catholic priests in Enugu are on the streets demonstrating over these incidences,” Achi said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu Police Command, Mr Ebere Amarizu confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing to unravel the perpetrators.
As news of the killing spread, about 200 Offu’s colleagues in the Enugu Diocese took to the streets of the city to protest continued attacks allegedly targeted at them.
The Catholic priests, wore white cassocks and marched peacefully through major roads.
They carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “Enough is Enough’’, “Catholic Priests are Targets of Hoodlums’’, “We Cannot be Living in Fear’’, “Government Must Address Security Challenge in Enugu’’ and “We Are Not Happy with Government’’.
Addressing newsmen on the development, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Dr. Callistus Onaga, said that the protest was to register the displeasure of the diocese at the incessant attacks on Catholic priests by hoodlums in the state for the seventh year running.
Onaga said that the Catholic priests were simply demanding more security in the state adding that “if there are crop of bad herdsmen in the state they should be fished out and we will continue to live in peace with the good ones’’.
The bishop, however, noted that the attack had become unbearable as the diocese lost a priest in March, who was killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
He said that two weeks ago, another priest was shot in the state and “he is still receiving intensive medical attention as we speak’’.
“I am sorrowful and utterly disappointed on the security in the state. This year alone, we (diocese) have suffered some casualties.
“While we get worried when our priests are attacked is that it shows the level of insecurity other Nigerians face daily.
“Our priests are very much respected and honoured by the people (locals); so if these things can happen to them, what happens to the flock (the people they shepherd?).
“We were shocked to see a priest that joined in our meeting yesterday afternoon in this Bishop’s House very healthy and sound being reported to have died.
“Everybody is so sad, because it is becoming too constant especially within the past six or seven years now; we have suffered serious kidnapping of our priests.
“It is becoming too bad. In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 our priests were kidnapped at various locations in the state.
“Only in 2017, we were given some breathing space. It continued in 2018 and this year, 2019; it is worse as we have suffered the death of a priest in March this year and now another issue,’’ he lamented.
Awka Catholic Bishop seeks immediate arrest of killers
In a separate interview in Akwa,the Catholic bishop of Awka Diocese,in Anambra State, the Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, asked security operatives to arrest the perpetrators of the crime without delay.
His words: “Enugu Government should not allow this matter to be swept under the carpet. Why always Catholic Priests?
“I am sad. What manner of country is this? A country where some people are untouchables. A country some people will be killing innocent citizens”
”These senseless killing of the innocent Nigerians is becoming a daily occurrence. Why can’t our government put a stop to these killings here and there?
“Is it not obvious that some people, somewhere are carrying a particular agenda? There is more to this than meets the eye,” Ezeokafor said.
Nwodo, MASSOB, others spit fire over murder of priest
President of apex Igbo socio- cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, condemned Offu’s murder.
He said: “The government is paying lip service to the security of our people in this country. Why are our priests targeted, why are our religious ministers targeted?
“There would be retaliatory action if the federal government does not disarm the herdsmen. If they do not disarm them, our people will begin retaliatory actions.”
Nwodo spoke by phone with The Nation.
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) was similarly upset by the murder of the cleric.
Its leader, Comrade Uche Madu, called for an immediate ime mkpuke meeting of Ndigbo to address the security challenge in the Southeast.
He said: “From every indication, there is no security anywhere in the land. Tension is seriously rising over the unbridled murder of innocent citizens.
“That we have been keeping quiet does not mean we are weak. We are only enduring all this nonsense in order not to worsen the security situation of the country. Our patience has been tested a great deal.
“If the situation is not arrested immediately, our youths may take up security of the South East to protect the lives and property of the people. If the federal government is lackadaisical in providing securing for our people, the South East governors should rise up to the occasion and stop the mindless killings of our people. The time to act is now before it is too late.”