The Dean of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, was abducted at about 10.30pm on Friday, as he journeyed in the company of his wife, Beatrice, from Eleme to Port Harcourt. It was gathered that the abductors later freed the cleric’s wife, following a chase by the police. The Bishop was taken to an unknown destination. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agape, who confirmed the incident, said it was the chase by policemen that forced the hoodlums to let go the cleric’s wife. She said that the Command has intensified efforts to rescue the bishop unhurt and arrest the perpetrators. “It was the hot pursuit by the police that forced the kidnappers to abandon the wife. The police are still combing the axis. Very soon, he will be secured unhurt. I mean very soon. I believe God will assist us and we will rescue him.” A senior member of the Anglican Church said no contact has been established with the suspects, adding that the whereabouts of the cleric remain unknown. “We will meet in the evening (Saturday) at the Cathedral in Port Harcourt, in respect of the incident,” he said. As at press time, no ransom demand has been made by the abductors. Church members said they are praying for the victim’s unconditional release and would not think of paying any ransom. The abduction of Kattey, who is also the Bishop of the Niger Delta North Province, has cast a mournful shadow on the state. Many residents and Anglican faithful denounced the kidnappers as people who have no regard for God and his ministers. Michael Udoh, a resident, blamed the security challenge on failure of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu. According to him, the police have remained clueless on rising incidences of abduction in the state.