By Aiyeku Timothy
The Archbishop of Owerri, His Grace Most Rev Anthony J.V. Obinna, has dismissed media reports that the kidnapped Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe, has been killed by his abductors.
Bishop Moses was kidnapped on Sunday night alongside his driver at the World Bank area of Owerri, the Imo state capital. News later broke that he has been killed by his abductors.
In a statement signed by the Assistant Secretary of Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Rev. Fr. Nnaemeka Njezi, on Tuesday, the public was urged to disregard the reports making the rounds.
The statement reads “His Grace Most Rev Anthony J.V. Obinna, Archbishop of Owerri hereby requests all Christ’s faithful and people of goodwill at large to disregard the purported news feed by one Useni Yusuf at AJ Press on the killing of the Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev. Moses Chikwe.
“This information is unconfirmed, misleading and does not come from the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.
“We continue to appeal that all join the Archbishop in prayers for the release of Bishop Chikwe and Mr. Mdubisi Robert, his driver.”
Meanwhile, the Imo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has demanded the unconditional release of the auxiliary bishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Moses Chikwe, who was kidnapped along with his driver in Owerri, the state capital.
The CAN chairman in the state, Divine Eches, in a statement on Tuesday in Owerri, condemned the abduction of the prelate.
Eches who said that the body of Christ received the news as a shock, said that the abductors had “desecrated the altar of God,” and must be released unhurt and without any ransom paid.
