Two Catholic priests, named as Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of the St. Joseph retreat centre 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 kidnapped by gunmen.
On July 2, the priests were abducted on the Benin-Ekpoma Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen.
It was learned that the two priests were returning to their headquarters after attending a programme in Benin City when their car collided with the assailants.
The automobile was reportedly forced to stop when the gunmen fired several bullets into the air. They pushed the priests into the bush.
On Sunday, July 3, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, the State Police Command's spokesperson, confirmed the development in a statement.
This is to confirm the kidnapping of two Catholic priests, Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East LGA of Edo State and Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi, according to the statement.
"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 aforementioned Catholic Rev. Fathers were attacked, kidnapped, and taken to an unknown place along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities. The Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, was informed of the incident by the
The statement continued, "Right away, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the region to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt in order to catch the kidnappers and rescue the Rev. Fathers unharmed.