The freed Dean of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey has denied claims by the Rivers State Police Command that their relentless effort rescued him from the hands of his kidnappers.
This is coming to the fore after four days of Kattey’s release from the den of the kidnappers, during a press conference at his residence in Eleme on Wednesday when Kattey had briefed Anglican clerics, his kinsmen and journalists.
Kattey insisted that the state command told “a blatant lie” when he revealed that the abductors freed him courtesy of the divine intervention which resulted from the prayers made for his unconditional release by the people from all around the world.
“Police did not rescue me; they did not rescue my wife. I saw the police the first time two days ago, the police public relations officer lied” Kattey said
He also declared that he was not aware of any ransom paid on his behalf for his release.
“If any ransom was paid, I don’t know. I believe that God touched their hearts”, he stated.
Kattey disclosed that his release almost spark off a serious disagreement among the kidnappers as they argued before he was freed without collecting the ransom.
But Kattey affirmed that there were efforts by security agencies to secure his release, helicopters, over 500 times, hovered over the forest where he was held captive.
He also said the kidnappers’ hideout was a very thick forest where the search team of the police would not have reached easily.
The 65-year-old cleric has blamed the rising crime rate on the poor upbringing of children by modern parents, adding that the abductors included well-educated, young and able bodied men who are aggrieved over the spate of joblessness in the country.
He, therefore urged governments at all levels to provide jobs for Nigerian youths.
It would be recalled that immediately after he was discharged by the kidnappers, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Angela Agabe, had claimed that the effort of the police secured shortly after the release of the Archbishop on Saturday evening had claimed that it was the police that rescued him.