Gunmen suspected to be armed Fulani attackers have kidnapped 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.
A police source confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that the attack took place on Sunday night at about 11:30 p.m.
“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 mobilised 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.”
During the attack, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen in a gunfight, killing one of the assailants. His body was deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Aghenebode.
The police source disclosed that several items were recovered from the scene, including 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 sources 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,” the source said.
The Catholic Diocese of Auchi, in a press statement, said the kidnappers have yet to make their demands known.
