Anglican Archbishop, wife kidnapped in P/Harcourt

• Wife abandoned on desolate road
• Blame CP Mbu for insecurity –Amaechi
THE Anglican Archbishop of the Niger Delta
North Diocese, the Most Reverend Ignatius
Kattey and his wife, Beatrice, were on Friday
night kidnapped close to Port Harcourt in what
the Rivers State Government called the latest
evidence of the deteriorating security in the
state under Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph
Mbu.
The couple were abducted at Aleto-Eleme, the
bishop’s home town at about 11.30pm.The
wife was later abandoned in the couple’s car
while the abductors went away with the clergy.
He is the second highest ranking official of the
Church of Nigeria, being next only to the
Primate, Dr. Nicholas Okoh.
Kattey and wife were on their way to Port
Harcourt, when the kidnappers struck near the
two Eleme Refinery and the Indorama-Eleme
Petrochemical Company.
His whereabouts was unknown last night with
the abductors yet to state their reason for
seizing him. They have not demanded a
ransom either.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi, in his first reaction
to the kidnap blamed Police Commissioner
Mbu Joseph Mbu for the rising insecurity in
the state.
It was learnt yesterday that the kidnapped
cleric was scheduled to receive the Most Rev.
Nicholas Okoh, in Port Harcourt yesterday and
decided to leave his personal house in Aleto-
Eleme for the Rivers State capital on Friday
night to enable him put finishing touches to
preparations for the arrival of the visitor.
It could not be confirmed at press time if
Okoh was able to visit Rivers State.
Another source said the couple decided to set
out for Port Harcourt that late to enable them
beat the usual Saturday traffic restrictions
occasioned by the monthly environmental
sanitation exercise.
Unknown to them, however, the exercise had
been cancelled in view of the ongoing WAEC/
GCE examinations.
A senior member of the Anglican Church in
Port Harcourt, who would not want his name
in print, said the bishop detests the idea of
going about with police escorts.
He chose to live in his personal house in Aleto-
Eleme from where he goes to St. Paul
Cathedral, Diobu, Port Harcourt, which serves
as his official base.
Kattey is described as a very simple and easy-
going cleric. His kidnap occurred barely two
weeks after the Rivers State Commissioner for
Sports, Fred Igwe, was shot at Akpajo-Eleme in
the same Eleme LGA on August 25.
Igwe was severely injured and is still receiving
treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
His car was riddled with bullets.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),
Angela Agabe, a Deputy Superintendent of
Police (DSP), confirmed Kattey’s kidnap and
said the prompt response of the police to the
kidnap forced the criminals to abandon
Beatrice and the couple’s car.
Agabe was optimistic with the effort of the
policemen, the Bishop would soon be released
unhurt and the kidnappers apprehended and
prosecuted.
Amaechi, through the Chief of Staff,
Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony
Okocha, regretted what he called the upsurge
in kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism,
militancy and other vices in the state under
Mbu.
The same Mbu, he alleged, has continued to
allow ex-militants to protest on the streets of
Port Harcourt, an action the governor said has
emboldened criminals.
Amaechi had earlier called for Mbu’s
immediate redeployment, which he described
as the only condition for peace in Rivers State,
having accused the CP of taking sides in the
deepening political crisis.