Nigerian Police Refuse To Help Kidnapped Catholic Priest Until After N1m Payment –Fr Muonso Alleges

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Monday, December 30th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The spiritual director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, Anambra State, Rev Fr Emmanuel Obimma, better known as Father Ebube Muonso, has stated that the security situation in Anambra has broken down terribly.

Obimma stated this as he [resented a priest simply identified as Rev Fr Nonso to his congregation, after he regained freedom from his abductors a week after he was kidnapped by his abductors.

According to available information, Fr. Nonso was abducted on December 17 in Anambra State, shortly after he came back for the Christmas holiday from abroad, where he was studying.

Fr Obimma, while presenting Nonso to the congregation, said: “For a week, Father Nonso was in the hands of kidnappers. Government could not do anything, it got to a point where I had to use my arsenal to rescue him.

“I approached a state outside Anambra and begged them to use their tracker to find my brother priest. They tracked him and sent the full location to me. I sent it to security people and they asked me what I wanted them to do with the information. I told them to go after the kidnappers and rescue our priest, but they told me they usually don’t go into the forest.

“I opted to lead the operation. I called the Chief Security of Adoration and told him to assemble his men, let those who have cutlass bring their cutlass and those who have guns should bring it. I will lead the operation. When they saw that I was serious, that was when police told me I should not worry that they can rescue him, but they lack logistics.

“I had to send N1 million to them. This is a state where we have a governor who receives security votes, but it is individuals that are now funding security.

“I called former governor, Chief Willie Obiano, and asked him where the trackers he bought during his tenure were, and he said they were all there. What it means is that we do not have security in this state. May God continue to protect his people.”

The priest said that what was shocking was that for the one week the kidnapped priest was in custody, his phone line remained open and the kidnappers never bothered to put it off or even dispose of it, knowing that they could be tracked through it.

“They knew that there is no security in this state. That is why I said there is no security in Anambra State. Imagine using a tracker from another location to trace kidnappers, yet security refused to act until I opted to use my own security to rescue the victim, and later they accepted and I still paid them N1 million for mobilisation. Only God will lead us.”