Terrorists Abduct Two Catholic Priests In Edo

Two Catholic priests have been kidnapped by gunmen along the popular Auchi-Benin road in Esan South-East Local Government Area.

The clergymen identified as Rev. Father Udo of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center Ugboha were abducted on Saturday night.

The two clerics were kidnapped by the gunmen while returning to Uromi from an event.

Their abduction was confirmed by the Edo State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, on Sunday.

In a statement confirming their kidnap, Nwabuzor said;

“This is to confirm the kidnap of two Catholic Rev. Fathers; Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East LGA of Edo State.

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“The Edo State Police Command was informed of the incident by the Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, that on Sunday, July 3, 2022, one Rev. Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church Ugboha, reported that he was informed by the Catholic authority via WhatsApp that the above named Catholic Rev. Fathers were attacked, kidnapped and taken to an unknown place by some kidnappers along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities.

“Immediately, the Commissioner Of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the area to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt in arresting the kidnappers as well as rescue the Rev. Fathers unhurt.”

The abduction of the priests is coming barely a week after gunmen kidnapped and killed a Catholic priest popularly known as Rev. Father Christopher Odia.

He was kidnapped last week Sunday at Ikabigbo Community, Etsako West LGA and was later found dead after a few hours in the bush.