St Bede’s College Principal still in captivity

St Bede’s College Principal still in captivity Moma Sandrine Despite rumours on social media that the Principal of St. Bede’s college, Ashinkom, Rev. Fr. Williams has been released after being kidnapped by suspected separatists fighters, he is yet to be released and still remains in captivity according to sources close to the Catholic church. A group of unidentified armed men suspected to be separatist stormed the school at about 6am on Monday April 30, while the principal was celebrating mass with his students at the school chapel. According to eyewitnesses, this group of unidentified gun men first kidnapped the chaplain of the school and then realized they had the wrong target, they released him and went back for the principal whom they captured and flew with him on a motorbike. Following the developments, Catholic authorities led by Bishop Cornelius Esua and the SDO of Boyo rushed to the school to assess the situation and equally deliberate on the way forward. As the news of the principal’s abduction spread like wild fire, parents rushed to the school to get their children for fear of what might befall them. The school authorities on their part immediately declared the school closed, asking parents to take their children home and only bring them back next academic year. Parents who were already panting heavily welcomed the idea of the school authorities as they wasted no time in taking their kids along with them. It should be recalled that, the governor of the North West Region paid a visit to Boyo Division barely few days to the incident and rumours mills are already churning that the principal’s abduction may have been provoked by the Governor’s visit. According to unconfirmed sources, the principal was abducted because he was boasting about his school’s effectiveness while the governor visited the Division. St Bedes College was observed to be the only school where classes were ongoing in Belo Sub-division. Prior to the incident, the school authorities had received threats from separatist fighters, calling on them to halt all classes and shut the doors of their school. They were tagged the “black sheep” going against the separatists’ orders. Shutting the doors of St Bedes College Ashingkom therefore is believed will result to the release of the abducted principal. As the students walked out of the school, they hoped and prayed that their beloved principal will be shown mercy and set free.