Bishop’s kidnap: Clergy/knights councils lay curses on abductors •Rivers sinking into anarchy —Amaechi

The councils of clergy and the knights of the Niger Delta, North Diocese of the Anglican Communion, have called for the unconditional release of the Archbishop of the diocese, Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey, by his abductors.
Most Reverend Kattey, who is the Dean of the Anglican Communion and the second highest ranking clergy of the church in the country, was abducted alongside his wife, Beatrice, on Friday night, by gunmen around Aleto-Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
Although, his wife was abandoned with their car by the kidnappers along the way, the whereabouts of the clergy is still unknown, even, as the Rivers State Police Command said it had initiated a rescue operation to get cleric out of the den of his kidnappers.
Speaking at the joint press briefing by the two councils, Venerable Richard Opara and Sir Charles Ogundu-Chukwu, said the church had not been contacted by the kidnappers to make any ransom demand, but noted that the church would not pay any ransom as the abduction of the arch-bishop is a sin and paying a ransom would be an encouragement for such act.
The councils, however, called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to intervene in the matter so as to ensure the timely release of the cleric.
“The news came to us as a shock and as we speak, the bishop is still in the hands of the captors. We wonder the offence of the God’s servant and why Kattey would be abducted.
“We condemn it and we therefore, ask for the unconditional release of the bishop. We call on the Inspector General of Police, the governor of Rivers State and the president to expedite action on his unconditional release”, the councils stated.
Asked if the church would be paying should the abductors demand ransom for the release of their leader, the councils said “we have said in our statement that we want an unconditional release of His Grace, the archbishop, ransom doesn’t come in”.
The clergy, all dressed in black and the knights, who were also in black trousers, prayed for the safety and speedy release of Bishop Kattey, even as they called judgement on his abductors.
Meanwhile, there are reports that youths of Eleme Local Government Area would be staging a protest today (Monday), over the abduction of the archbishop.
Reverend Godwin Ollor, who confirmed this to the media in Port-Harcourt, on Sunday evening, said the youths are angry at the development.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, says the abduction of the Arch- bishop is a sad pointer to the deteriorating security situation in the state.
Governor Amaechi said this on Sunday, during an Inter-denominational thanksgiving service to celebrate the Port-Harcourt Centenary at St. Barnabas Anglican Church Elekahia, Port Harcourt.
Represented by his deputy, Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi lamented that “it is very unimaginable that our bishop whose only asset is in the Lord’s vineyard, could be so abducted,” calling on the clergy to pray for the government and people of the state, stressing that “the times are very challenging,” and “the only way we can plan for the next 100 years for the state and our children is through prayers”.
Earlier, the guest preacher and Bishop of Northern Izon Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Reverend Anga Nyanabo, said the centenary celebration offers an opportunity to assess the past, chart a course for the future and appreciate the contributions of men and women who have been instrumental to the growth of the city.
Also, The Secretary General of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states of the federation and Abuja, Reverend Cornelius Fawenu, at the weekend, decried the high spate of insecurity and poverty among people in the country.
The development, he said, had continued to witness a dangerous dimension and culminating into kidnap of men of God and other innocent citizens in the country.
Fawenu, in a statement issued in Ilorin, on Sunday, also condemned the kidnapping of Archbishop Ignatius Kattey by unknown gunmen in Rivers State.
It was reported that Archbishop Kattey and his wife, Beatrice were kidnapped around 10.30 pm on Friday night by unknown gunmen around the Abeto Bridge, Eleme in Eleme local government council area of Rivers State.
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