June 22, 2016 was a Black-Wednesday for the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and the Nigerian Church. Barely hours after the sad news of the discovered remains of the abducted Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Very Rev. Fr. John Adeyi sent cold shivers to a nation at crossroads, another priest, Rev. Fr. Julius Gospel Inalegwu was abducted on June 23, 2016 at his parish rectory, Jitan Dutse, Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State by unknown gunmen at 1:30am.
While we pray for the immediate release of Fr. Gospel, our thoughts go with the bishop, priests, religious and laity of Otukpo Diocese particularly family members and parishioners of the late Fr. Adeyi. Our litany of prayers went up in unison for God to deliver this innocent and hardworking priest from the hands of his abductors yet the unknown kidnappers had their way – God knows best.
The road to his untimely death began when the humble and serene Parish Priest of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Okpoka, Okpokwu Local Government Area, Benue State, was kidnapped on Sunday, 24 April, 2016 along Odoba, Otukpa-Okwungaga road on his way to Otukpa while returning from an outstation of the Parish where he had gone to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.
