Jacob BABALOLA & Michael OKEOLA

The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province has called on the government at all levels to do more on early return of the abductees of armed bandits attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government of Oyo State.

During a Press Conference titled: “Gone for too long: Bring them home, now” the Bishops tasked the government to do more and get the abductees, who have spent over a month in captivity released as the shock, beyond description on day one, is still as palpable today as on the morning after.

The Bishops noted that across the South West of Nigeria in the last six years, no less than 11 traditional rulers have either been killed or abducted while many more are reportedly abandoning their palaces out of fear. “We, Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, comprising Ibadan Archdiocese, Ondo, Ilorin, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo dioceses can no longer simply keep quiet. No one deserves the excruciating wait, the painful lament, and the unspeakable suffering thus inflicted on the families and relatives of all the 46 abductees so far and we say ‘Enough!’ We condemn this gross assault on the sanctity of human life and social order and are outraged by the seeming inability of our government to prevent its frequent occurrence.”

The Bishops used the Press Conference to urge the Federal Government to exert its might and sincerely work with the Oyo State Government to speedily secure a return to normalcy in Oyo State and in the nation. The Clergy also appealed to the Federal Government and the National assembly to fast tract the processes of approving State Police, and put policy and legislation in place to prevent its misapplication.

As Shepherds of souls, the Bishops equally called on people of goodwill to continue to pray for the safe return of all the victims of abductions, insurgency, banditry and other crimes and pray for all who are affected by the abduction.

Present at the Press Conference, which took place at Pastoral Institute, Bodija were the President, Most Rev. Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin (Ibadan); Secretary, Most Rev. Anselm Lawani (Ilorin); Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo (Oyo), who read the Bishops’ statement (On behalf of other Bishops); Vicar General of Ibadan Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Gregory Oyelami; Chancellor of Ibadan Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Omolade; Pastoral Secretary for Ibadan Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Richard Omolade; Director of Social Communications in Ibadan Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ogunyale; Editor of Catholic weekly Independent, Rev. Fr. Peter Ibimiluyi as well as Press Men from Prints and Broadcast Media.

The Press Conference also witnessed questions and answers section, where the Press Men sought for clarifications on what the religious leaders have been doing concerning the insecurity in the country.