Mbaka: I was detained because of Nnamdi Kanu

Controversial Catholic Church priest, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, has spoken on sudden disappearance and release almost 24 hours after.

He said he was detained on the orders of the Enugu Catholic Bishop, Most Rev Callistus Onaga, for praising the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, known to be agitating and working for the creation of an Igbo nation.

Mbaka also accused Rev Onaga of conniving with certain people he did not name to detain him.

He said he was only released because the Adoration church members protested his unexplained sudden disappearance.

Mbaka, who spoke late on Wednesday on his Adoration church ground after regaining freedom, said he was kept incommunicado by the Bishop, whom he further alleged of planning to keep him for 30 days.

He said a lot of issues were presented against him after which the church leadership, led by Bishop Onaga told him that he would remain indoors for one month, a period that would allow him pray and meditate over his activities. Mbaka said he requested to be allowed the opportunity to come and address his parishioners after which he would shut down, “but they said no. I also begged them to allow me to send another priest to come and celebrate mass for you today, they said no.”

He said the church was strong against him for blessing Nnamdi Kanu.

Mbaka said, “Are you the owner of my mouth? You can’t tell me who to bless? If you are not happy that I blessed someone, you have your own mouth; you can curse the person.

“They didn’t treat me in a pastoral way and I was asking what I was being punished for. “They said it was a meeting. But even before I reached the Bishop’s house, the conclusion had already been made. What happened to me was like the day I was shot on the road.

“Unfortunately for them, even before the meeting, a woman was already going around bragging that the Bishop will call me for a meeting, and that I was going to leave my house here for 30 days, and that after the 30 days, I would be sent to Rome, and Adoration ministry will be closed.”

Mbaka said that another thing presented to him was his recent criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.