Raphael Ede, Enugu
The Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Clement Rapuluchukwu Ugwu, abducted by gunmen at his Parish, St. Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was found dead, yesterday morning.
Fr. Ugwu was said to have been kidnapped last Wednesday, at about 9:00p.m.
It was gathered that the gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, had shot him before they took him away in his blue colour Prado Jeep, in a pool of his blood.
Speaking shortly after his remains were laid to rest at the Catholic cemetery at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, called on the police to fish out the killers of the priest.
Bishop Onaga decried the spate of violent killings around the country and advised that Christians should intensify prayers for the survival of the country.
He regretted that security agencies could not rescue Fr. Ugwu, despite their assurances that they were closing on the kidnappers, while the abductors were making withdrawals from his account through his Automated Teller Machine card.
Bishop Onaga, who spoke in a motion-laden voice said: “All is not well in Enugu State. We should not continue to pretend about it while our people are killed everyday. Enugu State is not secured again. Criminals have shifted to the state from Anambra, while we are saying Enugu is most secured.
“When father Ugwu was kidnapped we reported it to the police, and since then, I had visited the police station three times, yet they kept telling me they were closing on the kidnappers. I doubt whether they did anything because where the body of Fr. Ugwu was found is not up to 20 kilometres from his house.”
Also speaking, the Director of Communication, Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, called on the government of Enugu State to live up to its responsibility in protecting life and property. He expressed worry that this was the first time a priest would be kidnapped inside the church premises in the diocese.
However, efforts to get the official reaction of the police failed, as the Police Commissioner, Suleiman Balarabe, could not respond to text messages sent to his mobile phone.