Taiwo Popoola
Anglican faithful and relatives during the weekend attended the survival and thanksgiving church service held by the Archdeacon of Nvosi Archdeaconry, Venerable Jonathan Ekechukwu, who recently spent eight days in the kidnappers’ den and has narrated chilling details of his ordeal with kidnappers
Ekechukwu and another priest from the diocese, Venerable Ikechi Ohuonu, were in November 2024 kidnapped by hoodlums in Kogi State on their way to Abuja for an Anglican church annual program.
They were kept in the forest by their abductors for eight days.
Narrating their ordeal during the Thanksgiving service at St. Banabas Anglican Church Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South LGA on Sunday, Ekechukwu said the kidnappers subjected him and his colleague to beatings and starvation for the eight days they were held captive in the bush.
“Today, we are living in the land of the living. We were kidnapped and taken into the forest where we went through a journey between 2:30 pm and 9:00 pm under heavy beatings, flogging and slapping. It was heavy brutality,” Ekechukwu narrated.
He appreciated the Primate of the Anglican Church, Henry Ndukuba and other christians for their prayers and concerns, which he said made their freedom possible.
Speaking at the event, the Anglican Bishop of Isialagwa Diocese, Bishop Temple Nwaogu, called on the Federal Government to beef up security for Nigerians and to save the citizens from criminals.
In his sermon, a guest preacher, Venerable Okezie Onuoha, enjoined Ekechukwu not to take the victory of God in his life for granted and also admonished Christians to always appreciate God at all times.
