…demands unconditional release of abducted priests
Renowned Criminologist and governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi FNIM, OON, has called for the immediate release of the two Catholic priests kidnapped on Saturday night.
It would be recall that Rev. Fr. Raphael Ogigbah, parish priest of St. Francis Agbarha-Otor, Warri Diocese and Rev Fr. Kunav Chochos, Schoenstartt Fathers, from Ibadan, Oyo State were abducted in Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli north local government area of the State.
He noted that he is following with grave concern reports about the kidnapping of the two priests who are not the cause of the insecurity in the State, rather as a result of the failed government of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who refused to tackle the menace head on.
The security expert in a statement on Monday May 1st 2023, said, he roundly condemned this dastardly terrorist act on innocent priests and Deltans and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
He called on the government and security authorities to promptly hunt down the perpetrators of this heinous act and bring them to justice.
Hear him: “The entire Delta people and Nigerians all over the world knows that we have not had government in Delta State in about seven, now running into eight years by this month.
“This is because when you give to somebody who does not know what to do and how to resolve his internal issues, the resultant effect is very dastardly.
“Whilst these kidnappers without jobs, no source of livelihood, no expectations and nothing looking forward for them, resulting into kidnapping, in which of course is condemnable, the government has not helped matters at all.
“When you see a government or persons in government that hitherto struggles to put meals on their tables only for them to find their way into government and start driving 20 to 30 cars, branding it in the face of the down and trodden Deltans, it goes a long way.
“I call on these abductors to immediately those two priests because the priests have no business with the hardship as brought about by Ifeanyi Okowa and his administration.
“Deltans should be up and looking. My pain, is that when I see people who have graduated and have gone through the grilling of academics and education, people who have sent their children to school with all their monies they have ever earn, supporting the mediocrity of bringing an illiterate, it means the State is dead.
“Because they don’t have investments in the State, they don’t take it seriously. They have never invested in their lives in the State. On like us who believe in the State.
“The question now is where do we go? Our hope and our last our hope, is rested on the outcome of the tribunal.
“It is unthinkable that one single man, Okowa can decide, all because he wants to do a third term which of course as you have seen from the list of whatever he is doing, he is continuing as governor for third term”.
He pleaded with the kidnappers to release the priests today, in respect for his appeal, “let us face the problems squarely. Please, young men, release the two priests forthwith”, he added.