A Catholic priest, Rev. Father Philip Ekeli, and a seminarian, Peter Andrew, have been kidnapped by gunmen at St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The incident happened on Sunday, but the Edo State Police Command confirmed it on Tuesday.
According to reports, the gunmen took the priest and the seminarian into a nearby bush.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said the police quickly mobilised operatives of the Rapid Response Squad to rescue the victims.
Yamu explained that during the operation, there was a gun battle between the security agents and the kidnappers, leading to the death of one suspect.
“On March 3, 2025, at about 11:30 pm, the Command received a distress call from a concerned citizen that armed men suspected to be herdsmen stormed St. Peter Catholic Church in Iviukwa community, Etsako East LGA, abducting Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and Seminarian Peter Andrew,” Yamu said.
He added, “The police rushed to the scene, joined by vigilantes and hunters, and engaged the attackers in a gunfight. One of the suspects was neutralised, and his body was taken to General Hospital Agenebode.”
The police arrested four of the gunmen — Murtala Ibrahim, Joshua Joseph, Sadiq Sheidu, and Sunday Bulus.
Items recovered from the suspects included two pairs of rubber shoes, a button Tecno phone with two SIM cards, a power bank, a dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafé beverage, and N168,850.
Yamu said the Commissioner of Police, Betty Enekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, has ordered more anti-kidnapping officers, Police Mobile Force personnel, and soldiers to work together to secure the release of the victims.
“The Commissioner of Police has immediately detailed additional teams of the anti-kidnapping unit to join forces with Police Mobile Force personnel alongside their military counterparts in that area, to ensure the unconditional release of the victims and apprehend their abductors,” Yamu stated.
