Gunmen Kidnap Catholic Priest And Seminarian In Edo

Gunmen Kidnap Catholic Priest And Seminarian In Edo

Gunmen have abducted Catholic priest Philip Ekeli and seminarian Peter Andrew from St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The incident occurred on Sunday, although police authorities only confirmed the abduction on Tuesday. Sources revealed that the Edo State Police Command deployed operatives from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to assist in securing the victims’ release.

Reports indicate that the attackers took the priest and seminarian into a nearby bush.

In a statement on Tuesday, police spokesman Moses Yamu confirmed that one of the suspected kidnappers was killed during a confrontation with security forces. Yamu, a Chief Superintendent of Police, also reported the arrest of four suspects: Murtala Ibrahim, Joshua Joseph, Sadiq Sheidu, and Sunday Bulus.

“On 03/03/2025, at about 11:30 p.m., the Command received a distress call from a concerned citizen, informing that armed men, suspected to be herdsmen, stormed St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa, Etsako East LGA, and abducted Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and Seminarian Peter Andrew,” Yamu said.

“The police launched a rescue operation, involving ‘Operation Rescue’ teams, vigilantes, and hunters, rushing to the scene and engaging the attackers in a gunfight. One suspect, whose identity is unknown, was neutralized, and the body was taken to the General Hospital in Agenebode,” the statement continued.

Recovered items included two pairs of rubber shoes, a button Tecno phone with two SIM cards, a power bank, a jacket, a bag with biscuits and Nescafè beverage, and N168,850.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Betty Enekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, has since dispatched additional teams from the anti-kidnapping unit, along with Police Mobile Force personnel and military counterparts, to ensure the victims’ safe release and to apprehend the remaining kidnappers.