Reports of the kidnapping of two Catholic Reverend Fathers on Saturday in the state have been confirmed by the Edo State Police Command.
The victims, Reverend Fathers Uboh Philemon of St. Joseph Retreat Center and Rev. Father Udom Peterm of Uromi Catholic Church, both of Ugboha, Esan South East local government, were abducted as they were returning to their parish following an event.
According to reports, the two were being pursued by gunmen on the Benin-Auchi road between Ekhor and Iruekpen axis on Saturday after leaving the programme and heading back to Ugboham from Benin.
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Chidi Nwabuzor, a spokesman for the State Police Command, claimed that Rev. Father Emos Holiness of St. Dominic Catholic Church on Mission Road in Ugboha confirmed to the police that the two reverend fathers had been abducted.
Nwabuzor claimed that in order to save the victims’ lives and conduct a serious manhunt of the criminals, Police Commissioner Abutu Yaro had sent out a team of police officers.
Christopher Odia, a state-wide abducted Catholic priest, was killed by kidnappers just a week prior to this development.
It had been reported that Odia, who was the priest in charge of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo community in Etsako West local government of Edo, was kidnapped as he was getting ready for mass last week.
