Breaking: Methodist Prelate, Others Regain Freedom

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo

The Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Kanu Uche, has been set free along with two other clerics and his driver who were abducted on Sunday.
News of their release filtered in Monday night just as the Church leadership was already mobilising members to raise N100 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers. It is also not clear if the ransom was eventually raised and paid.
The police public relations officer(PPRO) Abia State Command, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna confirmed the cheering news to THISDAY when contacted on phone but declined to give details of how the clerics regained their freedom.
“All I can confirm to you now is that they have all been released,” he said.
Similarly the Presbyter of Wesley Cathedral Umuahia,  Very Rev. Aaron Akabuokwu, also confirmed the release of the head of the Methodist Church in Nigeria.
He told THISDAY that it was really true that the evil men that laid their hands on the men of God had set them free to the glory of God.
“Information reaching us is that he (Prelate) and the others with him have been released,” he joyfully announced, adding, “I don’t have details for now” on where and how they were released.