Business in a Christian Land

News just to hand from Nigeria – land of Christian peace and harmony – shows that even the local kidnappers have realised Big Pete Akinola’s show isn’t worth what it used to be.

Along with organised corruption, email fraud, and Biblical Christianity, kidnapping is one of Nigeria’s key industries, and when it comes to extracting a decent ransom there’s no denying that those fellows are Professionals with a capital “P”. So when they start taking Roman bishops instead of Anglican ones, as has just happened to the poor Rt. Rev. Samuel Amatu of Okigwe Diocese, you’d better believe it’s because they know who’s still got a few naira to rub together and who hasn’t. Or, to be more accurate, who’s got access to overseas backers able and willing to part with a little hard currency, and who hasn’t.

Either that or the kidnappers know Big Pete has local connections so heavy that touching one of his crew simply isn’t worth the risk. Then again, it could just be that the old cliché about there being no honour among thieves isn’t so true after all.

I’m Father Christian and I teach the Bible.