Police confirms abduction of Edo Catholic priests

The Edo State Police Command on Sunday confirmed the abduction of two Catholic priests in the state.

The victims – Rev. Fr. Udo of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Uromi, and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh – were abducted along the Benin-Auchi Road on Saturday night.

The command’s spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the clerics’ abduction in a statement in Benin City.

The statement read: “This is to confirm the kidnap of two Catholic Reverend 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. Fr. 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 attacked, kidnapped and taken to an unknown place by some kidnappers along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities.

“Immediately, the Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the area to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated operation aimed at arresting the kidnappers as well as rescue the victims unhurt.”