Gunmen attacked St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, abducting a Catholic priest, Philip Ekeli, and a seminarian, Peter Andrew.
The incident happened on Sunday, and the Edo State Police Command confirmed it on Tuesday. Following the attack, the police mobilized operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to rescue the victims.
Reports indicate that the assailants took the priest and seminarian into a nearby forest.
During the rescue operation, security forces engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight, resulting in the death of one suspect.
The police arrested four others, identified as Murtala Ibrahim, Joshua Joseph, Sadiq Sheidu, and Sunday Bulus.
Authorities recovered several items from the suspects, including a Tecno phone, a power bank, cash amounting to ₦168,850, a dagger jacket, and food supplies.
The remains of the deceased suspect were taken to General Hospital Agenebode.
The Commissioner of Police, Betty Enekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, has deployed additional anti-kidnapping teams, mobile police units, and military personnel to ensure the victims’ release and bring the attackers to justice.
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