Abduction Of Prelate: Youths Block Enugu-PH Road; Say Army Guilty: Demand Relocation Of Barracks, Cattle Market

By Charles Igbo

In response to the sacrilegious abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Kanu Uche, hundreds of youths have blocked the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway.

His Eminence was abducted Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2022, on his way out of Umunneochi along the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway. Kidnapped with him were the Bishop of Owerri Diocese, His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark, and the Prelates Chaplain.

They were released Monday  evening after a ransom money of a whopping N100m was paid on their heads for teir release.

Anger and shock rose to high heavens when the Prelate, who is from the area the abduction took place, addressed  the Press in Lagos on Tuesday, and made frightening disclosures.

He said their abductors, eight in number, were Fulani. He said they had about 200 Cattle kept somewhere. He said they are Cattle rearers during the day, and deadly kidnappers at night. He said where they were was close to a Military check-point, and that the soldiers looked elsewhere. He said he strongly believes they were carrying out the atrocities in connivance with, and/or, to the knowledge of the soldiers. He talked about their plan to over-run the South-east and the whole of the South.

The Prelate’s words:

“These people came out from the bush. They divided themselves into three places. Some people fired at us and there was another group in front to make sure that we didn’t run away. They fired shots at our vehicle and eventually, they abducted three of us.

“The Communication man of the Church was able to escape, the driver was able to escape; they abducted me, the Bishop of Owerri and my Chaplain, and they took us to the bush and were torturing us.

“It was in the process of that torture that I hit my right eye on a tree. Even when blood was flowing, and I was soaking my eyes with a handkerchief, they didn’t feel like anything happened.

“All they said was that we should follow them; that they were not actually against Nigerian citizens, but against the Government, that the Government is a bad Government.

“They are Fulani boys; all the eight are Fulani; they said the day they will see the President or any of his representatives they will chew him raw; that he is their brother but he has disappointed them and has disappointed Nigeria.

”I said  I am not  part of Government, I am a Church man. I am not a government official.  They said okay, that is what have saved you, we would have killed you out-rightly without asking for any ransom but now that you are a Church man, let’s go inside the bush.

“I trekked up-to 15 kilometers but I knew that we were rigmaroling, going up going down and eventually, at 11pm, they said okay, now we can negotiate. Each of us will pay N50million and we are going to pay N150million. I thought it was a joke.

“I said we were going to pay N10 million and they said: what? Don’t say that; they lifted up their knife to cut me,I said please hold on.”

“The leader of the group is about 35 years while the others are about 18.

“The abductors came down to N100million ransom, warning that if they negotiate, they would be killed.

“I said okay. We will pay you N100 million. After some time, they said where is the money, and I said this is Sunday night, how can we get money this night and you know that there is this sit -at -home in Igbo land. We can’t afford the money now be patient till morning, we will make contacts.”

“They lost patience, laid Bishop Dennis Mark down, raised a knife to cut him, while another pointed a gun at me to show that they were serious,

“I told them we will raise the money for you. But the irony of it, where they were situated, the soldiers all of Fulani extraction, Nigerian soldiers, they were there at Lomara junction and this boys were going  behind them. Meanwhile they kept their cows somewhere, numbering about 200.

“Some people were taking care of the cows while the abductors were parading them around the bush until they settled at a place,

“They said when are you bringing the money? I said by 12 noon, I will call the people I have contacted whether the money had been raised and I called them, they said that they are gathering the money,  and they heard it because they said I will use my phone to talk, they can’t use their phone, they don’t want to be tracked

“Their leader was born in igbo land but his parents have died. He said he was born around Umuahia Amuzukwu and his father was a cow dealer, the boy understood igbo”

“The leader threatened to kill us if we inform security operatives when they had raised N100million.

“The leader asked them to buy five Ghana must go bags and put N20million in each bag. They left to pick the ransom while four others waited with guns.

“Around 5.30pm, the youngest boy who I think is a younger brother to their commander  said ‘oga congratulations you are free, you can go now. We have got our money, you can go. Let me show you the road.’

“They took us to old road, where they wrote welcome to Imo’ and ‘goodbye from Abia”.

“They told us that after buying enough weapons, they are going to bring all those people that were driven away from Zamfara, Katsina, Sambisa forest that they are all coming to locate themselves in Igbo land and deal with us.

“He said do you know Ibadan expressway? We are in all the bush there, we are also in the South-south. We are waiting for the slightest signal  we will finish you people and take over this land. They claimed that Nigeria belong to Fulani.

“Military personnel of Fulani extraction were aiding the kidnappers who disguise as herders in the daytime but are kidnappers at night.

He called on the government to take a decisive action ‘other wise what is happening in the north will be a child’s play”It is based on these serious allegations that Umunneochi youths, on Wednesday, blocked both sides of the Porthacourt-Enugu Expressway, in protest, and made their demands.

*They asked for the immediate removal of the Military Barracks at Isuochi,  Lomara Junction.

*They accused the Army of being responsible for the kidnappings in Umunneochi and Isikwuato Local Government Areas.

One of the youths said he suddenly became an orphan when both his parents were kidnapped. Apparently, they were killed. The Prelate said their abductors showed them a ditch where seven people they killed were dumped.

*The youths also demanded for the immediate relocation of the Cattle Market at Lokpanta.

They asked, too, for the opening of the Expressway usually blocked by the Military for easy movement of traffic.

The Enugu-Porthacourt Expressway, has become one of the most dangerous routes in the South-east.