Gunmen have abducted a Catholic priest,Philip Ekeli and Peter Andrew, a seminarian, from St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East LGA, Edo State.
The attack, which occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, was confirmed by police sources on Tuesday, according to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region.
A police source disclosed: “The police received a distress call from the chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr. Inaede Gabriel, informing them that the church was under siege.”
Security forces, including Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives, were deployed to the scene, where they confirmed the abduction of the priest and the seminarian.
The attackers reportedly whisked their victims into a nearby bush.
During the assault, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen, killing one of the assailants. His body was later taken to the General Hospital Mortuary in Agenebode.
Items recovered from the scene included: A button phone with two Airtel SIM cards, a power bank, a dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and sachets of Nescafé tea, two pairs of rubber shoes, and 168,850 naira in cash.
Bellnews reports that a joint search-and-rescue operation involving personnel from the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, police operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters is currently underway to locate the abductors and secure the victims’ release.