Gunmen abduct two Catholic priests in Edo

Two Catholic priests, Rev. Father Udo of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Uromi, and Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha in Edo State, were reportedly kidnapped on Saturday night.

They were abducted along the Benin-Auchi Road on their way back to Uromi in Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state. The incident has thrown the churches’ members into fear over the safety of their clergymen.

It was not clear if the gunmen had made any contact with the church or the families as of this time, Sunday evening.
When contacted, the Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Bishop Donatus Ogun, could not be reached but his aid said he was in a meeting.

“I cannot give any information on the issue. The bishop is in a meeting,” the aide stated.

Also, a childhood friend of Fr Oboh, Mr. Fred Itua, says that Oboh is a religious priest, who contrary to popularly held views, doesn’t have money.

He said, “His abduction is unfortunate and disheartening. We can only appeal to his abductors to set him free. It’s an appeal. This is very traumatising,” Itua said.