The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has charged those who kidnapped the Methodist Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Kanu, to release him unconditionally and immediately.
IPOB gave the charge while distancing its members from the abduction of Kanu and other priests.
Emma Powerful, spokesman of the group, described the abduction of the Methodist Prelate as a sacrilege which is alien to the Igbo race.
In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB decried the docility of Southeast governors and the security agents in revealing those responsible for insecurity in the region.
Powerful wondered what those behind the Prelate’s abduction stand to gain because he is not a politician or money bag.
The statement reads partly: “The Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB wish to condemn in its entirety the kidnapping of Methodist Church Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Kanu in Abia state, we see the kidnapping of Methodist Church Nigeria leader as sacrilegious.
“We are, therefore, calling on the kidnappers to unconditionally release the respected men of God, and his colleagues kidnapped alongside him, and we wonder what the abductors stand to achieve in kidnapping a prelate and his colleagues, who are neither politicians nor money bags.
“We are surprised about the docility of southeast Governors and the security agents in the region towards unravelling the people behind the insecurity in South East which is coming in form of terrorism perpetrated by those terrorists masquerading as security agents calling themselves unknown gunmen, kidnapping, beheading, robbery and assassinating our peoples.”
Unknown gunmen had abducted Kanu-Uche, and two other priests were abducted while they were on their way from a programme.
The Prelate, the Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark and the Prelate’s Chaplain, were whisked away on Sunday in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
However, the gunmen have demanded the sum N100 million as ransom.