The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give order to the security agencies to ensure the immediate release of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Kanu Uche, who was abducted by gunmen on Sunday.

The Star had reported that the Prelate of the Methodist Church was abducted on Sunday along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.

Uche was kidnapped alongside Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark, the Methodist Bishop of Owerri and the Prelate’s Chaplain.

Speaking on the incident, CAN, in a statement issued and made available to The Star on Monday by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, condemned the abduction of the clerics by the gunmen.

CAN further decried the level of insecurity in the country, saying the abduction of the Methodist Church Prelate has shown the weakness of Nigeria’s security architecture.

The association noted that no fewer than 10 clerics have been kidnapped in 2022 and none of the abductees was rescued by security operatives.

It said: “The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche and two others in strong terms and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give an express order to the security agencies to free them immediately and stop the incessant abduction of clerics and other innocent Nigerians forthwith.

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“If a great Servant of God of Uche’s calibre could be kidnapped like a three-year-old baby on a major road without any resistance from the police, it speaks volume of what our security architecture has become.

“Not fewer than 10 clerics have been kidnapped this year alone and none was rescued by the security agencies.  In two instances, the victims were killed by their captors unfortunately!

“This is no more a country one can be proud of. No reasonable government can continue to leave the citizens in a terrible state of insecurity as we are presently. This situation is not good for our nation at all.

“We, once again, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to do all within his powers to get these servants of God released very soon and unhurt.

“This administration must redeem its image of widespread insecurity by bringing sanity to this situation before leaving office.

“To those who are holding these Servants of God, we appeal to them to let go of them because they are not responsible for whatever reasons that made them criminals.

“We call on Christians and other well-meaning Nigerians to join us in praying for their release immediately,” the statement read.

The Star