Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a Catholic priest identified as Philip Ekeli and Peter Andrew, a seminarian.
It was gathered that the duo were abducted on Monday at about 11:30 pm at St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the abduction.
It said one of the suspects was killed while four others were arrested.
The Command’s image maker, Moses Yamu disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, on Tuesday.
Yamu listed the arrested suspects as Murtala Ibrahim, 32, Joshua Joseph, 31, Sadiq Sheidu, 35 and Sunday Bulus, 28.
He said the sum of N168,850, two pairs of rubber shoes, one button Tecno phone with 2 sim cards, one power bank, one dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafè beverage were recovered from the suspects.
The statement read in part: “on 03/03/2025 at about 2330hrs, the Command received a distress call from a concerned citizen that armed men suspected to be herdsmen stormed St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa community, Etsako East LGA, abducting Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and Seminarian Peter Andrew.
“The Police initiated a rescue operation involving the Operation Rescue teams, vigilantes, and hunters and swiftly rushed to the scene and engaged the attackers in a gun duel.
“One of the suspects whose name is unknown was neutralised, and the corpse deposited at the General Hospital Agenebode.
“Two (2) pairs of rubber shoes, one button Tecno phone with 2 sim cards, One (1) power bank, one dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafè beverage, the sum of one hundred and sixty-eight Thousand, eight hundred and fifty naira (168,850) were recovered in his possession.
“Furthermore, the following suspects; Murtala Ibrahim, 32yrs, Joshua Joseph, 31yrs, Sadiq Sheidu 35yrs, and Sunday Bulus 28yrs were arrested.”
The Command’s Public Relations Officer added that the Commissioner of Police in the State, Betty Enekpen Isokpan has immediately detailed additional teams of the anti kidnapping unit to join forces with Police Mobile Force personnel alongside their military counterparts in the area.
He said the deployment was to ensure the unconditional release of the victims and to apprehend the abductors.
