Kidnapped bishop found dead in Benue

THE Vicar-General, Catholic Bishop of Otukpo and Priest in charge of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Okpoga, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, Rev. Father John Adeyi, who was kidnapped two months ago, has been found dead.

Preliminary investigation revealed that most likely, the late vicar-general was killed few days back, after he was kidnapped.

This is because the body was found almost decomposing. Sympathisers and worshippers as well as other villagers, who besieged the place where the body was dumped by his suspected abductors, could not hold back their tears.

Late Rev. Father Adeyi was kidnapped two months ago by unknown gunmen but was never released in spite of the payment of the sum of N3m ransom by his family members.

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had early last month placed N5m reward for whoever could provide useful information leading to the rescue of the late Rev. Father, until his body was discovered at the back of the LGEA Secretariat, Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA.

The late parish priest was abducted at along the Otukpo-Enugu highway while returning from an outer station of the parish where he had gone to celebrate the Holy Eucharist (Mass).

Reliable sources informed our correspondent that the late priest might have been killed by a kidnap syndicate, which had its base in Kogi State.

The late priest was allegedly moved to Kogi State after the arrest of some of the kidnappers, some of whom were allegedly arrested in Lokoja last Tuesday.

However, the body of the late priest has been taken to the mortuary at St. Vincent Hospital, Aliade, Gwer LGA of the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Ortom has confirmed during a Town Hall meeting in Oju on Wednesday that the skeleton of the late Fr. Adeyi was discovered three kilometres away from the road. He added that he has directed the police and medical personnel to collect the skeleton for post-mortem.

The governor, who asked for the observation of one minute silence for the repose of the soul of Adeyi, vowed that his abductors and killers must be brought to book.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Command, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident but added that the information was still sketchy and promised to brief journalists later.