A PRESS STATEMENT: APPEALING FOR THE SAFE RELEASE OF REVEREND SISTERS PERPETUAL APO, ROSELINE FAMILADE, SISTERS OF ST. LOUIS AND THEIR COMMUNITY DRIVER, MR. ZWUGWA ZIBAI

 

It is already known to the public that two Catholic Reverend Sisters from the Congregation of Sisters of St. Louis, Sr. Perpetual APO and Sr. Roseline FAMILADE with their community driver, Mr. Zwugwa ZIBAI were abducted on Thursday, 12th May, 2016 at about 6:30pm along Ore-Shagamu express road. This sad incident occurred when their vehicle broke down and were waiting for assistance from their associates, who reside at a very nearby site.

In the past few days, the abductors have been making contact with the leadership of the congregation and are demanding a ransom of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000:00k); and all efforts by all those directly concerned to salvage this ugly incident have proven abortive.

Let me say that, the Church is a religious body, whose wealth only lies in her spiritual and human resources; and the Sisters of St. Louis are embodiment of these resources. They devote their lives to taking care of the poor and marginalized especially through the provision of education, healthcare, spiritual care, and social ministries/services in both rural and urban areas of this country.

We therefore call on everyone - the Priests, Religious and the entire lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, all Catholics within and outside the Diocese of Ondo, and the entire nation, to pray for the safe release of the Sisters and their driver. In this month of May - the Marian month, let us commit them into the maternal care of our Mother Mary, who underwent the sorrow of a mother, for three days looking for her lost child, Jesus but was filled with joy upon finding him. We equally appeal to the State authority and the concerned security agencies to intensify their efforts in finding and ensuring the safe return of our Sisters and the driver.

We passionately appeal to the abductors, whom we know surely have human face, to be humane and merciful in dealing with our associates. For the sake of God, the families of these abductees and the less privileged whom these Sisters cater for, we plead for their immediate and unconditional safe release.

We all have a duty to make our country a safe place for all to live. Let us create an enabling environment for safety and protect the lives and properties of one another so that we may all live in the peace God has given us.

Most Rev. Jude Arogundade

Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese