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Kattey: Abductors Yet To Contact Family …Pray For His Release, Amaechi Enjoins Christians
After days after dare-devil gunmen abducted the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, Most Rev Ignatius Kattey, at the Eleme axis of the East-West Road, the kidnappers are yet to establish contact with the family of the second highest officer of the Anglican Church in Nigeria or made ransom demand.
The Tide gathered that all efforts by the family, the entire church and the Eleme community to reach out to the kidnappers have proved abortive, even as the Rivers State Government and the state Police Command have reassured that the revered Archbishop would soon be released.
While the state government had assured that it would do everything within its powers to ensure the release of Bishop Kattey unhurt, the police command has also expressed commitment to secure the unconditional release of the cleric as soon as possible.
The assurances are, however, coming against the backdrop of calls by the Lay Readers of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, and the people of Eleme, the bishop’s community, for the immediate and unconditional release of their kidnapped Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.
Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi assured yesterday that the state government would do everything to ensure the unconditional release of the bishop.
Secretary to Rivers State Government, George Feyii, who represented the governor during a visit to the bishop’s family, yesterday, assured that the government was working round the clock to secure the release of Bishop Kattey, unhurt.
In the same token, Police Public Relations Officer, Angela Agabe, told The Tide in an interview yesterday that police operatives were gradually closing in on the abductors.
Agabe said that fresh information on Monday night indicated that the kidnapped priest would soon breathe the air of freedom, noting that the police were combing all the nooks and crannies of the state in search of the bishop.
Meanwhile, lay readers in the Diocese of the Niger Delta North, have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Archbishop Kattey.
Rising from a prayer meeting at the Cathedral of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, yesterday, the lay readers said that the criminality in the kidnap of the man of God was the height of national disgrace and embarrassment.
In a release signed by the Chairman, Diocesan Lay Readers Association, Sir Kelvin Obi and Secretary, Chris Okocha, described the dastardly act as a fight against God.
The association, which condemned the rising spate of criminality in the state, appealed to all Christian faithfuls to remain committed in prayers towards the safety of the Archbishop, and demanded for his unconditional release from the den of the dare-devil gunmen.
While expressing confidence in the efficacy of divine intervention in these trying times, the lay readers also called on security agencies to intensify their efforts towards the release of the man of God.
The lay readers, who numbered more than 150 at the prayer session, also prayed against darkness in the land.
Similarly, the people of Eleme have threatened to destroy roads, bridges, and other facilities in the area, if their illustrious kinsman is not released unhurt within 24 hours.
They issued the warning last Monday during a peaceful protest organised to press home their demand for the unconditional release of Archbishop Ignatius Kattey.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has enjoined Christian religious leaders to intensify prayers for the unconditional release of the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger Delta, Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey.
Amaechi spoke yesterday when he paid a sympathy visit to the family of Archbishop Ignatius Kattey at his residence in Eleme Local Government Area of the state.
He said his administration was doing everything humanly possible to ensure the unconditional release of Archbishop Kattey.
“This administration wants to assure you that, it identifies with this family because the kidnap of the Archbishop is a very serious matter and it has compelled us to identify with the family, and right now, everything is on track to ensure that Kattey returns to continue his assignment with God.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr George Feyii, Amaechi urged the family of Bishop Kattey to remain strong in their prayer life and trust in the Lord for His intervention and release of the kidnapped Anglican Archbishop by unknown gunmen.
Governor Amaechi further appealed to the kidnappers of Bishop Kattey to urgently effect his release to enable him continue his ecclesiastical call to the service of God and humanity, which he stressed, was for the benefit of all Nigerians and betterment of society.
Responding, wife of the Archbishop, Mrs Beatrice Ignatius Kattey while thanking Governor Amaechi for the visit prayed for God’s intervention and unconditional release of her husband by the kidnappers.
“My husband is a man of God that preaches peace, he believes in God and wherever he is, God is with him, we are sure he will be well, but he should be released”, Mrs Beatrice Kattey said.
Wife of the Anglican Bishop also expressed regrets over the security lapses in the state and called for serious concern and attention to avert future re-occurrences.
Also speaking, Chancellor of the Diocese of the North, Sir Emeka Ichioku in his vote of thanks expressed confidence that Archbishop Ignatius Kattey would return to his family hale and healthy.
Earlier, Chairman of Clergy Association of the Diocese of the Anglican Communion of Niger Delta North, Venerable Richard Okpara also offered prayers for the family of Archbishop Kattey and God’s intervention for his unconditional release.
Similarly, Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa has condemned the kidnap of Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger Delta and Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey, describing it as an evil against God and humanity.
King Gininwa in a statement signed in Port Harcourt last Monday wondered what the perpetrators of such menace would achieve by abducting God’s own servant in their quest for material wealth.
He called on his abductors to release him unconditionally because “Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey has spent all his life serving God and humanity”, saying that it was callous of such individuals to have kidnapped a servant of God of no mean repute, a second in-command of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria.
According to the Gbenemene Tai, it has become so sad, the present deteriorating security situation in the state, adding that only a few weeks ago, another illustrious son of Ogoniland, the Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Fred Igwe, escaped assassination.
King Gininwa, therefore, appealed to the police and other security agencies in the state to intensify their efforts for the release of Most Reverend Ignatius Kattey while maintaining adequate security in Rivers State, and called on all men of goodwill to also pray for divine intervention in the matter.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.