Gunmen have kidnapped Philip Ekeli, a Catholic priest, and Peter Andrew, a Seminarian, from St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was gathered that the attack reportedly occurred late Sunday night around 11.30pm.
According to sources, the police received a distress call from the Chairman of Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr. Inaede Gabriel, informing them that the Church was under siege.
He explained that security operatives including members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), were immediately deployed to the scene where they confirmed that the priest and seminarian had been abducted and taken to an unknown location.
The report added that during the attack, local vigilantes engaged the gunmen, killing one of the assailants.
His body was deposited at the General Hospital in Agenebode.
Item recovered from the scene include, a button phone, a power bank, dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and sachets of Nescafe tea, two pairs of rubber shoes, and N168,850 in cash.
A joint-and-rescue operation involving the Nigerian Army’s 195 Battalion, Police operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters is ongoing to rescue the victims and locate the abductors.
-9News Nigeria.
