My brother was shot dead day we ended fasting for his freedom —Raphael, twin brother of slain seminarian

HIS name was Michael and was born a twin. He had apparently dreamt as a boy to one day become a Reverend Father or a Catholic bishop and probably more. His joy was to evangelise and bring others into the kingdom of God.

Unfortunately, Michael lost his parents very early in life and had to live with his grandmother. Though his parents were from the South-Eastern part of the country, he was born in Sokoto on February 16, 2001 at Shepherd’s Clinic, Mabera, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul ChinyereNnadi. He also started his educational career in the town.

After his primary school education, he had his future clearly cut out for him. He tried to convince his twin brother to join him in the seminary as he pursued his dream of becoming a priest. He did not succeed. His twin brother would rather want the two of them to follow different paths.

Michael went on to pursue his dream by enrolling at a seminary. Just a little time into his first semester in the seminary, death cut short his dreams.

Early in the year, precisely January 8, gunmen invaded his seminary, Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna, around 11.00 p.m. and kidnapped him alongside three others. It was the last time other seminarians would see him alive. After making contacts with the seminary, the kidnappers asked for a ransom and later released one of the four seminarians probably because he was sick and they didn’t want him to die in their hands.

According to information from the seminary, Michael was probably shot on January 30 or thereabout when two others were released after paying the ransom. Reports said the kidnappers pretended to release the last three seminarians (including Michael) after the ransom was paid but as they were leaving, Michael was called and as he looked back, he was shot. His body was only recovered on February 1.

Arewa Live was at the family house of the Nnadi at G. Allen in Sokoto where his  twin brother, Raphael Nnadi and their elder brother, Francis Nnadi, spoke on his death. They both described his death as barbaric even as they asked God to help the killers change their way of life.

Francis, Michael’s elder brother who first spoke with Arewa Live narrated how he got the news of his brother’s death through Facebook and his reaction to the sudden loss.

“He was my younger brother and I pray that God should accept his soul. Honestly, it really pained me as we all really loved him. The news of his death saddened one because we learnt that they had paid the ransom and yet they killed him. I just pray for him to rest in peace and ask God to strengthen us the family including his twin brother

“It was even more horrible seeing his body with injuries which, I think, were as a result of the beating and torture he received before being killed.

“When he was kidnapped, we had one opportunity to talk to him when he was forced to talk to our grandmother and the only thing he was allowed to say was ‘mummy, please bring the money, if not, they will kill me today or tomorrow.’ That was the last thing we heard from him.

“Actually, they didn’t tell us the amount to be paid as ransom, we were just hearing different figures. Some were saying N20 million, while some said N50 million.

“I think the ransom was paid by the school authorities in conjunction with the bishop, but I don’t know how much was paid,” Francis said.

Speaking on the last interaction between him and his brother, Francis said their last discussion was normal during which he told his brother to be serious with his studies and always remember the family in his prayers while the family would also be praying for him.

Francis also told his brother to make the family proud by being a good ambassador in the seminary. Michael had responded that all would be well with him and his studies, while asking for his family’s prayers as he pursued his dream of becoming a priest.

The twin brother of deceased, Raphael, while speaking with Arewa Live, promised to immortalise his brother by naming one of his children after him as well as encourage the son to become a priest like him.

“Words cannot describe our relationship, we were too close. We attended the same primary and secondary schools. It was just that he wanted to continue in the priesthood line but I said no, let me go to the other side and when we come together, we will share the experience of life.

“Our relationship was so close that it was hard for people to separate us, even in our school hostel. We stayed together because of the love we shared. So his death is painful. As of now, I still can’t believe that he is gone. I am just speechless. Most times, when people call to condole me, I just hold the phone not knowing what to say.

“Well, this is the result of the situation we have found ourselves in our country with so much insecurity. I will only pray that God should open the eyes of his killers to know that what they did was very wrong and I believe that those people are regretting what they did. I just pray that God would have mercy on them and forgive them,” he said.

Betraying emotions at home, Raphael wondered why the kidnappers decided to kill his brother at the point of releasing him, saying he had been having the difficult task of consoling his grandmother.

He confirmed that his brother had not been buried and that his corpse is still in Kaduna but cannot say for now if he would be buried there or not.

“My brother shared a lot of dreams with me, though he kept some of them secret while he shared some. Some of his dreams were not ordinary but required spiritual eyes and ears to understand them. After telling his dream, he would just say ‘don’t worry.’ For now, I cannot remember some of the dreams.

“For sure, he had a very wide vision, many things he wanted to accomplish in life. How I wish he was still alive. I believe he would have done more than that. His number one vision was to win souls for Christ. Unfortunately that cannot happen again,” Raphael said.

He also commended the authorities and members of Catholic Church in Sokoto for their support.

“The church has been very supportive even before he was kidnapped, both the Bishop and everyone. After he was kidnapped, the church at a point declared a week of fasting for his release. In fact, the day we ended the fasting was the same day he was shot dead, precisely on January 31,” he added.