Retired Archbishop of Nnewi Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Godwin Okpala, has narrated the harrowing experience of his 27-day captivity in the hands of kidnappers, revealing the inhumane treatment he endured.
Okpala, who was abducted on December 6, 2024, alongside his driver, regained his freedom on January 3, 2025.
Speaking at his residence in Nnewi during a visit by former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the 75-year-old prelate recounted how he survived on food remnants and lived under inhumane conditions in the kidnappers’ den.
“Those 27 days were hellish because the people were not behaving like human beings. They kicked us about like trash,” he said.
Okpala disclosed that he was held in a dense forest, stripped of his cassock, and left with only shorts, a shirt, and his clerical collar.
“I was in my cassock when they abducted me, and they knew I was a bishop, but it didn’t matter to them. For the 27 days I was there, I didn’t bathe or brush my teeth.
“The water they gave me was from an unknown source. I was given one meal a day, usually rice or garri, and it was often the remnants of what they gave to the boys working with them.”
Okpala expressed gratitude to Peter Obi for visiting him after his release, describing the gesture as deeply human and comforting.
“Since I returned from captivity, no one had visited me until Obi came. He has shown the humanity in him, and I am not the first person he has extended such care to. I want to say thank you to Peter Obi for his kindness.”
The ordeal of the retired archbishop adds to the growing concerns over insecurity in Anambra State, which has been plagued by a surge in kidnappings and violent crimes.
Despite assurances from Governor Chukwuma Soludo and state police authorities, the menace continues to instill fear among residents.
In a related development, the Nnewi Catholic Diocese on Thursday buried three priests, including Rev. Fr. Tobias Okonkwo, who was murdered by gunmen on December 26, 2024, in Ihiala, Anambra State.
Until his death, Okonkwo was the manager of the Schools of Nursing, Midwifery, and Medical Laboratory at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Ihiala.
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