BEVERLY HILLS, May 05, (THEWILL) – Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, has resurfaced after his whereabouts caused confusion through Enugu on Wednesday, leading to widespread protests in the city.
THEWILL learnt that Mbaka returned to his place in a vehicle a few minutes past 2pm on Wednesday.
He is yet to shed light on his whereabouts since disappearing from his known haunts after keeping an appointment on Tuesday with his superior, the Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Bishop Callistus Onaga.
A mass protest on Wednesday had taken over major streets of Enugu, as the city’s popular Catholic Priest disappeared without trace, amidst rumours that he had been captured and whisked away to an unknown place by unknown gun-toting men.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) demanded the release of the outspoken Priest, who runs the popular Adoration Ministry, Enugu.
Last week, Mbaka had said God instructed him to withdraw his support from President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he had used his pulpit to campaign for in 2015 and 2019, and to ask him to resign for mishandling and mismanaging the country’s security crisis.
However, the Department of State Security (DSS) has washed its hands off the disappearance of Mbaka, saying he was not in the agency’s custody.
In a statement issued by the President-General of OYC, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group gave 48 hours for government to produce Mbaka, whom, it said, was last seen on Tuesday, following which every effort to trace him had failed.
OYC said: “We have it on good authority that his aides have neither seen nor heard from him since Tuesday.
“Calls put to his mobile line have also remained unanswered; this has now prompted us to issue this alarm as we would not take it lightly should anything untoward happen to him.
“We are giving the Federal Government 48 hours to produce the priest; else they should be ready to face Igbo youths. They were dining and wining with him all along and now that he told the truth, they are no longer comfortable with him.
“Let nothing happen to Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka. It will not be in anybody’s interest.”
But a source who refused to be named disclosed that he was last seen on Tuesday going to honour an appointment with his superior, the Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese.
His disappearance has raised a cloud of protesting across Enugu, with some organised by his followers.
A message inviting people to the Adoration ground said: “Important!
“Good morning friends and well-wishers. Please if you know you stand for justice and you do not want the lone voice that speaks for the poor in this country to be silenced, gather at Adoration ground let’s go for a protest at the Bishops court.
“Fr. Mbaka is nowhere to be found. He went yesterday to answer the Bishop’s call and up till now, he’s not taking his calls. Let’s gather! SSG.”
On Wednesday, protesters thronged the front of the Catholic Bishop’s court in Enugu, with citizens chanting and demanding that the Bishop must produce the missing Priest.
The spokesman of the DSS, Peter Afunaya, denied the service having custody of him.
Afunaya said: “Rev Fr Mbaka is not with the DSS. The DSS did not pick him up, please.”
His disappearance on Tuesday came the same day a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, alleged that intelligence reports indicated that some religious and political leaders were planning to overthrow the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
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