Repent, Catholic bishop tells kidnappers of reverend sisters

The Catholic Archbishop of Benin, Dr. Augustine Akubeze, has called on those who engage in kidnapping to repent and seek for God’s forgiveness.

The Bishop made the call yesterday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Benin, during a thanksgiving mass for the release of three reverend sisters and three other people kidnapped at their residence in Iguoriakhi, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State late last year.

The sisters – Aloysius Ajayi, Frances Udi and Roselyn Isiocha – from the Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus convent, were on November 13 kidnapped by gunmen and they regained freedom after 53 days.

“The sisters carry out humanitarian work. They work to show people the face of God. They are intelligent, educated and work hard for no material gain. Yet, these gunmen had the audacity to kidnap these beloved of Christ,” he said.

The Bishop, who described kidnapping as an act of terrorism, prayed that kidnappers should repent.

Sister Veronica Ajayi said of their abduction: “We were sleeping when they came and took us away but I kept trusting that God has a reason for it. We were praying for the kidnappers and they also said their own prayers. One of them wanted to learn our prayers. They did not tell us why we were kidnapped but we were praying for their conversion.”