Catholic Archbishop Laments Over Murder Of 18-year-old Catholic Seminarian

Michael Nnadi

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins, has broken his silence followng the murder of an 18-year-old catholic seminarian, Michael Nnadi, on Sunday.

Recall that Nnadi, who was among the four students of Good Shepherd Seminary students kidnapped from the school a few weeks ago, was found dead on Sunday evening.

The Registrar of the institution, Dr. Rev. Fr. Joel Usman, confirmed that the missing student was found dead.

Though three of the abducted Good Shepherd Seminary students located at the outskirt of Kaduna regained their freedom on Friday, Nnadi was declared missing.

Reacting in a release signed by the Director of Social Communications, Rev Fr. Anthony Godonu, Archbishop Martins said the murder of the young seminarian was another indication to prove that the present security arrangement of the Federal Government had failed.

The cleric warned that the inability of Buhari government to protect innocent Nigerians is breeding a state of anarchy in Nigeria, stressing that no one will fold their arms and watch being slaughtered like animals.

Archbishop Martins urged Buhari to immediately address the present security structures in the land and rejig them before Nigerians begin to take the law into their own hands.

He advised that the only way the government can reassure Nigerians was to enforce mass arrests of the killers and bring an end to the menace of kidnapping across the land.

The statement reads in part: “I received with sadness the news of the murder of the fourth seminarian, Mr. Michael Nnadi, who was kidnapped in Kaduna.

“The Seminarian who abandoned all with the desire to serve his creator and humanity was murdered for no just cause. This is just one of several cases of innocent Nigerians being killed daily by kidnappers while our security services and their chiefs watch as if they were helpless.

“Recently we recorded the case of the CAN Chairman in Adamawa State who was executed and before that the murder of eleven innocent people by so-called ISWAP . Also, the situations of suicide bombers going into mosques to murder people who had gone to worship God as they know Him. This appalling situation must come to an end.

“Nigerians cannot just fold our arms and allow these monstrous activities to continue to thrive. The Buhari-led Government must act now before things get out of hand.

“For a period of time, many Nigerians from different walks of life have been calling for a revamping of the security arrangements in the nation even if it means the replacement of the Heads of the various Security Agencies to give room for new ideas. It is beyond doubt that the gains of the past few years are being lost because those at the helm of affairs and the soldiers in the thick of the war are tired and need to be replaced. The strategy for executing the war needs to be re-examined to determine its effectiveness.

“The utilization of Kids glove approach by the security agencies in addressing insecurity in the land is not producing the desired result.

The cleric further consoled the families of the victim, the priests, the Bishop of Sokoto, the faithful of the Diocese and the staff and seminarians of the Good Shepherd Seminary.

He advised Christians to remain calm and prayerful, assuring them that light would eventually prevail over darkness.