When I read a comment today saying that the kidnappers have gone so far in Nigeria, I was wondering what the commentator was trying to pass on as an information. I was even thinking she was joking when I read that the kidnappers have gone so far as to kidnapping Priests and native doctors, but this very article opened my eyes. Where are we heading to? In Nigeria, and more especially in Igbo land, the two most respected individuals have always been the Priests (pastors, Atama ma, and every other clergy) and the native doctors but things seem to have fallen apart. How come that Men of God have become the target of the kidnappers? Does it mean that we have lost the sense of sacred or because we have become equal with God. Where are we heading to? Some weeks ago, it was the case of raping of old women in Opi- Nsukka, I mean real old women at their 70s as the papers had it, today it is the case of abducting a priest of God. Ah! how I wish it was still the time when everyone knew the biblical injunction “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm”. But unfortunately, today, the anointed and the most respected (women, and more especially the old ones) of our society are the hunted. Time has gone when we were used to the sayings: “Nne di nso” – mother is sacred and “Onye bulie nna ya elu ngwonwo na ngwongwo awuchie ya anya” – if a boy decides to attack his father, let him be ready to face the outcome. Where are we heading to?
Why the radical change in our cultural system? Maybe it is as a result of globalization. But how come that even in those countries where there is really a radical change vis-à-vis to the religion, such men are still respected? Something, I am sure, must be the cause but the question remains “why”??????????????
Here is the story of the abduction:
<<Kidnappers kill cop, abduct priest By Tony Edike,
Kidnappers weekend, invaded Onitsha Enugu-Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government of Enugu State and abducted the Catholic Parish Priest in the community, Rev. Father Amoke, killing a police man in the process, just as another Police Constable, David Ntiebo, 30, was allegedly killed in error by his colleague at Emene, near Enugu metropolis.
The deceased policeman was said to have tried to ‘’intercept’’ the hoodlums who headed towards Obollo Afor in Udenu Local Government after abducting Rev. Fr. Amoke when he was shot dead at Uda, a near-by village to Obollo Afor. The state Police Commissioner, Jobi Doma confirmed the kidnap of the priest at Enugu Ezike as well as the killing of another Constable Ntiedo, attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS ‘’allegedly by his colleague’’ during the week saying no arrests have been made just as the ‘’kidnappers have not made any demands yet.’’
He said that the SARS operative was mistakenly gunned down by one of his colleagues during a crossfire with men of the underworld at Emene area of Enugu adding that he later died at the hospital.
Doma however, said that the incident was being investigated while ‘’the police man who shot him is now being interrogated at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, of the state Police Command.>>
