Tension In Edo After Kidnap Of Two Catholic Priests

There are reports of heightened tension in Edo State following the kidnap of two Catholic priests, Rev Fr Peter Udo of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Uromi, and Rev Fr Philemon Oboh of St Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha, Edo State.

According to reports, the two priests were kidnapped on Saturday along the Benin-Auchi Road on their way back to Uromi in the Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state.

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The Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Bishop Donatus Ogun, could not be reached for comments on the development.

Speaking on the incident, a childhood friend of Oboh, Mr Fred Itua, described the incident as unfortunate.

“We can only appeal to his abductors to set him free. It’s an appeal. This is very traumatising,” Itua added.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the kidnap of the clerics.

The statement read in part, “The Edo State Police Command was informed of the incident by the Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, that on Sunday, July 3, 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 reverend fathers were attacked, kidnapped and taken to an unknown place by some kidnappers along the Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen communities.

“Immediately, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Abutu Yaro, dispatched police operatives to the area to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt to arrest the kidnappers as well as rescue the reverend fathers unhurt.”

GreenWhiteGreen GWG recalls that the tension is in the heels of the kidnap and killing of another Catholic priest, Rev Father Christopher Odia, last Sunday at Ikabigbo community, Etsako West LGA of Edo State.

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