PeakNews Online
Gunmen have abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Philip Ekeli, and a seminarian, Peter Andrew, from St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa Community, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Police sources confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that the attack occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Security expert Zagazola Makama also reported the abduction, citing law enforcement officials.
According to the police, they received a distress call from the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr. Inaede Gabriel, alerting them that the church was under attack. Officers, including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), responded swiftly but found that the priest and the seminarian had already been taken into the bush by the assailants.
During the attack, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen in a clash, resulting in the death of one of the attackers. His body was later deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Aghenebode.
Items recovered from the scene included a button phone with two Airtel SIM cards, a power bank, a jacket, a bag containing biscuits and sachets of Nescafé tea, two pairs of rubber shoes, and ₦168,850 in cash.
A joint search-and-rescue operation comprising soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, police officers, vigilantes, and local hunters is currently underway to locate the victims and apprehend the kidnappers.
