Rev. Fr. Anthony Adikwu, the Parish Priest of Saint Margaret’s Catholic Church, Ajegbe Awume in Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state has been kidnapped by unknown armed men.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that the Priest in the Diocese of Otukpo was reportedly abducted Thursday night at about 10 pm by the armed men.
A parishioner at Saint Margaret’s Catholic Church, Ajegbe Awume disclosed that the abductors who stormed the Parish house “shooting sporadically, broke into the residence and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
“As we speak the kidnappers have not opened any channel of discussion with the church or his family members.”
The kidnap of the Priest came about six months after another Priest and Chaplain of Saint Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga in the same Otukpo Diocese, Rev. Fr. Mark Ojotu was abducted by armed men along Okpoga-Ojapo road, Okpokwu LGA.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident.
The PPRO said, “The information got to us this morning, (Friday) and we are already working on it.”
In a related development, police in Rivers state have killed three kidnappers in their Isiodu Forest den in Emohua Local Government Area.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Emeka Nwonyi, said his men acting on an intelligence report raided the kidnapper’s den at about 3.30 am Friday at Isiodu.
Nwonyi said, “The hoodlums on sighting the police opened fire and a gun battle ensued. Three of the hoodlums fatally wounded were confirmed dead at the hospital. Eight magazines, 70 rounds of live ammunition and 10 cartridges were recovered.”
CP Nwonyi also disclosed a case in which his Command’s operatives on “routine patrol” spotted a corpse tied with bodily injuries, resulting in the arrest of a suspect as investigation continues.