Unknown Gunmen Kidnap Two Catholic Priests In Edo State

Some Unknown gunmen who are believed to be Fulani bandits have kidnapped two Catholic priests in Edo state. This comes amid the continued abduction of clergymen in the country, especially Catholic priests. Police authorities in the state have confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday night around Ehor and Iruekpen communities along the Benin-Auchi Expressway.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, Chidi Nwabuzor, identified the victims as Reverend Father Udo Peter of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Uromi, and Reverend Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha both in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state.

The insecurity in Nigeria has entered into another level, after the kidnapped of two Catholic priest in Edo state by unknown gunmen alleged to be Fulani bandits, the Edo State Police Command has announced on Monday that its operatives have rescue Rev Fr Luigi Brena, a 68 years old Italian missionary who was kidnapped by hoodlums.

The Command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, ASP Jennifer Iwegbu, in a statement said; “In our continuous efforts to end crime and criminality in the state most especially kidnapping, the Edo state police Commissioner CP Abutu Yaro, fdc has massively deployed police Operatives to most of the identified volatile areas in the state and the move has started yielding positive results.

“Consequent upon this, Operatives of the Edo state police command attached to Iguobazuwa Division on Monday at about 5:00 PM received information that Rev. Fr Luigi Brena, an Italian missionary was kidnapped by hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers, he was abducted along Ogunwenyi through Usen community in Ovia South West Local government area of Edo State. alt=”credit icon” class=jb-ad-widget-logo v:shapes=”_x0000_i1025″>

“On receipt of the information, the police Operatives immediately swung into action and trailed the suspected kidnappers to their camp. The suspects on sighting the operatives opened fire on them, the superior firepower of the police operatives neutralized 3 of the kidnappers while the rest escaped into the forest with various degrees of gunshot injuries abandoning their victim.

“The victim was immediately rushed to Igbinedion Teaching Hospital, Okada for medical attention. Meanwhile, intensive bush searching is currently ongoing with the aim of arresting the Suspected kidnappers who are now on the run”, the statement concluded.