“I started preparing myself towards eternity,” Nigerian Priest Recounts Abduction Ordeal

The Nigerian-born clergy recalls the tense and scary situation outside the seminary gate characterized by gunshots directed at his car shortly before his abduction.

“The sound kept getting tense, at that moment I saw a boy coming in front of me shooting directly at me (and) at my left were two other boys shooting continuously as well,” Fr. Madu recalled and continued, “In a split of a second, my right glass was down, my windscreen (and) bonnet were all shattered with bullets.” 

Recalling the moment of abduction and referencing the group of abductors, Fr. Madu says, “They asked me to get down from the car, I did; out with them they began shooting again, neither at me nor the car but at the security post. They entered my car and collected everything I had (that is) my laptop, box, sick call bag and the stole I placed on my dashboard and so on.”  

He continued sharing his ordeal and the hand of God in his being alive when he had to be saved from drowning by his abductors as they waded through a river southeast of Nigeria’s Enugu State.

“They told me to keep going and never utter a sound. We crossed the road and moved to Ajali River, it was miracle number two, the first being the gun not getting at me,” Fr. Madu narrated.

More in Africa

To Help America Achieve Healing, Trump Needs “more than the wisdom of Solomon”: Catholic Bishop in Africa

Read the article

“The first person crossed the river and asked me to cross. I didn’t know how to swim, getting into the river, I started sinking, I saw myself drowning,” Fr. Madu recalled and continued, “one of them actually came to my rescue, held me by the hand and that was how I came out.”

When they got on the other side of the river, Fr. Madu has recalled and recounted to ACI Africa, he remembers with amazement the “compassion” of his abductors.

He said referring the five men who had kidnapped him, “Seeing how dirty the soutane I was putting on was, they gave me clothes from my box to change.”

“The journey began, we trekked from bush to bush, from one place to the other (and) I didn't know the part of Enugu we were until the day I was released,” Fr. Madu narrated.

He added in recollection, “They kept threatening to kill me, they always woke me up with cane, we slept in the bush under the rain and they gave me Indomie noodles on Tuesday (October 29). But you can imagine I didn't have an appetite for that and I really don't like eating Indomie.”  

Regarding the abductors’ networks, Fr. Madu said, “No other person was there with us except the five of them, unless there was someone else operating from somewhere.”

He remarked, “These people know our forests and bushes more than us the owners of the land, they know everything about our backyards more than we do.”

“They always gave me my phone to make calls to people whom I want to speak with,” the Nigerian priest said but recalled the limited freedom saying about his abductors, “They will always tell me what to say and warned me never to talk to them in Igbo Language or they will waste my life.”

He added, “Once I finish talking, I would hand the phone back to them. I was threatened every minute, they told me they would kill me and dump my corpse where nobody will find it.”

“I had made up my mind that it was the end for me; I celebrated Masses in my heart severally without host and wine,” Fr. Madu told ACI Africa.

(Story continues below)

He continued, “God gave me the grace to remember the words of consecration. I offered the mass for the atonement of my sins and consolation of my friends and family, it was a Mass I said many times without number. I started preparing myself towards eternity, saying my rosary and invoking my Guardian Angel and devoting everything towards eternity.” 

“I was finally released on Wednesday (October 30). It was an ordeal I don't wish even an enemy if I had one. I bless God for saving me and giving me another chance,” Fr. Madu said and concluded, “I thank people who prayed for me and say to God be all glory.”

Based on the language and accent of his abductors, Fr. Madu said, he is convinced that those who kidnapped him belong to the Fulani ethnic group.