Two Catholic priests, Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of the St. Joseph retreat center in Ugboha in the Esan South East local government area of Edo State and Rev. Father Peter Udo of St. Patrick’s Catholic church Uromi in Esan North East, have been kidn@pped by g#nmen.
The priests were abd#cted on the Benin-Ekpoma Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen on Saturday, July.
The two priests were reportedly returning to their base after attending a program in Benin City when they ran into the the assailants.
According to reports, the g#nmen on sighting their approaching vehicle, f!red some shots into the air which caused them to halt. The priests were then f@rced into the bush.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, July 3.
He stated, “This is to confirm the k!dnap of two Catholic Rev. Fathers; Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East LGA of Edo State.
The Edo State Police Command was informed of the incident by the Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, that on Sunday, July 3, 2022, one Rev. Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church Ugboha, reported that he was informed by the Catholic authority via WhatsApp that the above named Catholic Rev. Fathers were att@cked, kidn@pped and taken to unknown place by some kidn@ppers along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities.
Immediately, the Commissioner Of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the area to carry out aggr#ssive and well coordinated manh#nt in arresting the kidn@ppers as well as rescue the Rev. Fathers unh#rt,”
