How Rev. Fr. John Adeyi was foud dead after abductors collected N2M ransom

Benue South was jolted by the discovery of the
decomposing remains of the Vicar General of the
Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Rev. Fr. John Adeyi,
who was kidnapped over two months ago by some
armed men.

Adeyi’s skeleton was found behind the office
complex of Ogbadibo Local Government Education
Authority at Otukpa, his home town, by a search
party that had combed the area to locate him.
He had been abducted at Odoba village, along the
busy Otukpo-Enugu Road after mediating in a crisis
between parishioners and the parish priest of
Odoba at the behest of the Catholic Bishop of
Otukpo, Bishop Michael Apochi.
However, the priest had successfully resolved the
crisis and was returning to Okpoga, when the
armed men, on motorcycle, intercepted his
vehicle and abducted him to an unknown
destination.

His
disappearance sparked angry reactions from his
family members and the Catholic faithful in
Benue who, at the time, warned that the priest
had health challenges.
It was learned that after his abduction, the
kidnappers made an overture to his family
demanding N2million ransom.

It was reliably gathered that the said amount was
paid for his release but the abductors held on to
him.

At the heat of his disappearance, Benue State
government issued a statement, promising
N5million reward for anyone with valid
information on his whereabouts.
The government also went ahead to organise a
search party for the cleric.

Adeyi’s kidnapping came on the heels of cases of
abduction of innocent citizens in parts of Benue.
In most of the cases, the abductees regained their
freedom after huge ransoms were paid.
When Sunday Vanguard visited the Otukpo family
residence of the deceased cleric, located at
number 21 Otukpa Street, sympathizers were
seen commisserating with his octogenarian
mother, Mama Martha Kate Adeyi.
Bereaved Mama Adeyi, who spoke through an
interpreter, told Sunday Vanguard that the
kidnapping of her son and murder came to her as
rude shock.

She said as she wept: “Since I heard of his
kidnapping over two months ago, I had been
praying fervently for his safe return but,
unfortunately, I heard yesterday that my son has
been killed.
“Fr. John had no problems with anybody, he
served God and humanity with all his being, soul,
spirit and body. He didn’t deserve the treatment
they meted to him as a servant of God.

“I am heartbroken, devastated but God knows why
it happened this way. I thank everyone who
showed concern about his abduction and eventual
death.

“I’m only pleading with government and law
enforcement agencies to do justice in this matter
by ensuring the arrest of the masterminds of this
unfortunate incident. It is only then that Fr. John
will find peace and the family will also be
consoled.”
Reacting to the sad development, an umbrella
body of the Idomas, the Opiatoha K’ Idoma,
condemned the killing of the priest.
In a statement by the Secretary General of the
organization, Chief Adoka Adaji, the group said:

“The killing of Fr. Adayi by kidnappers shows the
level of wickedness of some people and security
lapses in our society.

“It is amazing that Fr. Adeyi whose body was
recovered in the bush was killed within his Otukpa
community. It means we are no longer our
brothers’ keepers’ in Idoma land otherwise his
kidnappers and killers would have been exposed”.
Meantime, the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese,
Michael Apochi, was yet to issue a statement over
the heinous murder as he was said to be in deep
shock since the news broke.

On his part, Governor Samuel Ortom who was the
first to broke the news of the discovery at a town
hall meeting in Oju, last Wednesday, said that the
skeleton of Adeyi was discovered three
kilometers away from the road, adding that on
receiving the report from security operatives, he
directed the police and medical personnel to
collect the skeleton of the deceased for
postmortem.
Ortom, who fought back tears as he spoke, vowed
to do everything possible to ensure that the
abductors and killers of the cleric were brought to
justice.

Benue State Police Command Public Relations
Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP,
Moses Yamu, who also confirmed the discovery of
the decomposing remains of the deceased at
Otukpa by a team of police and medical personnel,
said his corpse had been deposited at a morgue.