Prelate faults intelligence reports, insists his abductors were Fulani
• Gumi cautions FG, Nigerians against escalating insecurity
PRELATE of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Uche, yesterday, insisted that those who kidnapped him three weeks ago were Fulani, contrary to intelligence reports that the prime suspect hails from his village.
The cleric, who faulted investigations that the offender was a native that had reportedly been arrested at a bank, where he allegedly wanted to lodge his roughly N20 million share of the ransom, also dismissed the conspiratorial theory of an insider’s job.
Uche told The Guardian that his abductors were Fulani, who claimed to be from Sudan, Mali and Niger.
Asked if actually the police have arrested any suspect in connection with his abduction, the prelate said: “I don’t know. The police should know that. What I know is that all the people within our area went to the bush to fish out the culprits. I don’t know if any of my people was involved. The person they alleged that hails from my village is from another area in Abia State, I am not from Abia. I am from Imo State.”
He went further to tell The Guardian that: “I am not a small boy. I am almost 70 years, I can’t tell you what I don’t know. Those who took me to the bush are all Fulani. Government is trying to cover up, but they cannot cover up because I have exposed them to the international community. They are uncomfortabl e with the what I know.” truth that I said. What I said He was kidnapped three was the whole truth, and weeks ago in Abia State along nothing but the truth. with two others – the Bishop Where I was kidnapped is of Owerri Diocese – and the not my village.” prelate’s chaplain.
The priest continued: “I According to Uche, his don’t think it is an insider’s church paid N100 million in job. I didn’t see any Igbo man ransom to secure their reamong the kidnappers. They lease.
B are all Fulani bo ys. In fact, ESIDES, Islamic cleric, some of them said they are Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar from Sudan, some said they Gumi, has warned the Fedare from Mali, some said they eral Government and Nigeriare from Niger and they were ans against escalating the eight in number . That is nation’s security challenges to the Rwandan genocide proportion.
Gumi made the appeal after inauguration of a body, Nomadic Rights Concern, in Kaduna, yesterday, just as he blamed government for deploying military instead of dialogue to resolve banditry and related ills across the federation.
The cleric said the new organisation was established to “address the gap between herdsmen and the larger society.”