Gunmen abduct Catholic priest, seminarian in Edo

Gunmen have kidnapped Philip Ekeli, a Catholic priest, and Peter Andrew, a seminarian, from St. Peter Catholic church in Iviukwa, Etsako East LGA of Edo state.

The attack, which occurred around 11:30pm on Sunday, was confirmed by police sources on Tuesday, according to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region.

“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.

Makama noted that security operatives, including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), were mobilised to the scene, where they confirmed the abduction of the priest and the seminarian.

The attackers reportedly whisked them into the nearby bush. 

The report added that during the attack, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen, killing one of the assailants.

His body was deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Agenebode.

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 N168,850 in cash.

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 locate the abductors.