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 to security pundit, Zagazola Makama, stating that the attack occurred on Sunday night at around 11:30 pm.
“The police received a distress call from the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr. Inaede Gabriel, informing them that the church was under siege,” the source said.
“Operatives, including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), were immediately mobilized to the scene, where it was confirmed that the priest and the seminarian had been abducted and taken into the bush to an unknown location.”
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The sources revealed that during the attack, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen, killing one of the assailants. His body was deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Aghenebode.
“Items recovered from the scene include a button phone with two Airtel SIM cards, a power bank, a dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and sachets of Nescafé tea, two pairs of rubber shoes, and a small bag containing ₦168,850 in cash,” the source said.
The source added that a joint search-and-rescue operation involving personnel from the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, police operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters is ongoing to rescue the victims and apprehend the abductors.
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