Akwa Ibom Insecurity: Kidnapped Catholic Priest Freed Due To Ill Health

The  Catholic Priest kidnapped last week in Ikot Ekpene has been released apparently to avert his death in the hands of kidnappers.

SaharaReporters gathered that the kidnap gang hurriedly let the priest off the hook as his health deteriorated following the injuries and excessive blood loss that happened during his abduction.

Rev. Akaninyene Ntebono who was kidnapped at the school premises was however silent as to whether N50 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers  was paid to secure his release.

He explained the ten  days in captivity with  the kidnappers den before were characterized by torture and inhuman treatment.

Rev. Ntebono was hospitalized immediately he regained freedom to treat his injuries. 

“The ten days I spent in the kidnappers sanctuary were harsh and damaging” Ntebono reportedly said.

Recalling the ordeal he narrated how on that fateful day while driving to school, he noticed two motorcycles were trailing him one in front while the other beckoned him  to stop.

"I thought the car had splashed water on them and I stopped to apologize. But as I tried to wrap up the glass two of the bandits on both sides of the car pointed guns at me and ordered me to come down and mount their bike.

I refused their request and a big fight ensued then one of them hit me on the head with a gun and I started bleeding profusely. I just gave up the fight and was sandwiched on their motorcycle which sped off into the village near Ikot Ekpene."

According to the priest, on Sunday, when the hoodlums decided to release him  at about 9.30 pm, they brought him out from the bush to the main road and untied his blindfold and asked him to go.

Rev. Ntebono, said that from the time he was taken prisoner and driven into the wilderness he remained blindfolded and tied to a chair till he was released ten days later, a situation that made it difficult for him to tell the location of kidnappers.