Gunmen have abducted Philip Ekeli, a Catholic priest, and Peter Andrew, a seminarian, from St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The incident occurred around 11:30 pm on Sunday, and police sources confirmed the abduction on Tuesday, as reported by counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama.
According to police reports, the distress call was made by the chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr. Inaede Gabriel, who alerted authorities that the church was under siege.
Security operatives, including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), quickly mobilized to the scene, where they confirmed the abduction of the priest and seminarian.
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The gunmen reportedly took the victims into a nearby bush, while local vigilantes attempted to intervene. During the confrontation, one of the assailants was killed. His body has been deposited at the General Hospital Mortuary in Agenebode.
Items recovered from the scene included a button phone with two Airtel SIM cards, a power bank, a jacket with a dagger, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafé tea sachets, two pairs of rubber shoes, and N168,850 in cash.
A joint search-and-rescue operation involving personnel from the Nigerian Army’s 195th Battalion, police operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters is currently underway to locate the abductors and rescue the victims.
