Two Catholic Priests have been reportedly abducted by gunmen in Edo State.
The Priests, Rev. Fathers Udo P,eter and Philemon Oboh, of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha, respectively of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi, were said to be travelling from Benin to Uromi when they were abducted along the Benin-Auchi-Benin road on Saturday.
The incident occurred less than one week after Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia was gruesomely killed by suspected Fulani kidnappers at Ikabigbo in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
All efforts to get the reaction of the Edo State Police Command, failed yesterday as the spokesman of the Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, would not respond to calls and enquiries on the incident.
Similarly, the Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Bishop Donatus Ogun, could not be reached for comments as he was said to be in a meeting.
“Personally, here, I cannot give any information. The Bishop is in a meeting”, an aide to the Bishop told Daily Sun on phone.
Also, a childhood friend of Fr Oboh, Mr Fred Itua, told Daily Sun that “Fr. Oboh is a religious priest, who contrary to popular held views, doesn’t have money.
“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.
Meanwhile, the family of slain abducted Catholic Priest of Ikabigbo, Fr Christopher Odia, has debunked media reports that her mother, Philomena Odia Ogedegbe is dead.
The family in statement signed by the late Priest’s elder brother, Comrade Robert Ogedegbe, said contrary to the false report, their mother was healthy and mourning her son.
Besides, the statement said Kebiru, the arrested Fulani man who mastermind the kidnap and killing of Fr. Christopher Odia was not his gardener nor gateman.
“We however wish to set the records straight that the said Kebiru was neither Fr Christopher’s gardener nor gateway, but was only living in the same Ikabigbo Community where our son/brother was pastoring the Catholic faithful as Priest”, the statement added.