In Iviukwa Community, Etsako East Local Government Area, Edo State, a seminarian named Peter Andrew and a Catholic priest named Rev. Father Philip Ekeli were abducted by gunmen from St. Peter Catholic Church.
According to police sources who spoke to security expert Zagazola Makama on Tuesday, the attack took place on Sunday night at approximately 11:30 p.m.
According to the source, “Mr. Inaede Gabriel, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), called the police in distress to report that the church was being attacked.”
“The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and other officers hurried to the scene and verified that the seminarian and priest had been taken into the bush to an unidentified location.”
One of the attackers was killed when local vigilantes engaged the shooters in combat during the assault. His remains were sent to Aghenebode’s General Hospital Mortuary.
“A button phone with two Airtel SIM cards, a power bank, a jacket, a bag with biscuits and Nescafé tea sachets, two pairs of rubber shoes, and ₦168,850 in cash are among the items recovered from the scene,” the source continued.
The victims and the kidnappers are presently being sought by a combined search and rescue squad consisting of police officers, vigilantes, local hunters, and troops from the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion.
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