We won’t pay ransom for kidnapped priests – Catholic Church

The Catholic Church in Nigeria has berated the persistent incidents of kidnap in the country.

The Church posited that the kidnap of priests was a reflection of the degenerated state of the country’s system.

The Director, Social Communication Commission, Reverend Anthony Omodunbi who represented the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Osun State, Most Reverend John Oyebola gave the disclosure, while fielding questions from members of Osun NUJ Correspondents’Chapel journalists in Osogbo.

Reverend Oyebola insisted that the position of the church not to pay ransom for kidnappers to secure release for any of its priests and official is still intact. 

While reacting to the kidnap of two priests and two others at the rectory of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Gidan Maikambo, located in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State, he said, “the church authority has not changed the position that we won’t pay ransom for freedom of priests and any of its personnel.” 

He further explained that, “when clerics are being kidnapped, it shows how degenerated we have become as a country, when you hear that a priest has been kidnapped, you should be sure that 20 other Nigerians have been kidnapped without us knowing.” 

Reverend Oyebola added that, “the church will continue to sensitize the congregation that everybody should be security conscious and avoid anything that could attract kidnappers to them.

“We shall continue to speak to the state that they are failing in their responsibilities of security and welfare, Clerics should continue to ensure security for themselves as long as it is lawful.”

Adenitan Akinola