Gunmen abduct another Catholic priest in Imo

Gunmen have abducted Mathias Opara, a Catholic priest, in Imo state.

Opara was reportedly abducted along Ejemekwuru and Ogbaku roads between Oguta and Mbaitoli LGAs of Imo on Friday.

NAN quoted a witness as saying the priest was kidnapped while returning from a burial ceremony of a colleague’s father at Izombe community in Oguta LGA.

The gunmen reportedly double-crossed and kidnapped the priest alongside some people in the vehicle.

“The incident happened right before us. We were also coming back to Owerri from the funeral ceremony when the incident occurred,” the witness reportedly said.

Raymond Ogu, director of public communications of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, confirmed the incident.

“It was on his way back from Izombe. These guys came out from the bush and ambushed them,” he said.

“They were about five people in the vehicle, including the priest, but one small boy among them in the vehicle escaped during the ambush.

“The hoodlums took the priest and the other three passengers away but at some point, they released the other three to take his car but they went away with the priest into the bush.”

Last Sunday, Jude Maduka, parish priest of Christ the King Catholic Church, Ezinachi/Ugwuago in Okigwe LGA of the state, was kidnapped.

The cleric was said to have been whisked away from the parish house in the early hours of Sunday while he was preparing for mass.