Suspected herders kidnap Edo Catholic priest, four arrested
The Edo State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the kidnap of Rev. Father Philip Ekweli and Seminarian Peter Andrew by suspected herders at the St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa community, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state on Monday.
The command spokesman, Moses Yamu, in a statement, also said that one of the suspects whose name is unknown was neutralised and the corpse deposited at the General Hospital, Agenebode.
Yamu also said four suspects; Murtala Ibrahim, 32 years; Joshua Joseph, 31 years; Sadiq Sheidu, 35 years; and Sunday Bulus, 28 years; were arrested.
He said, “On 03/03/2025 at about 23:30 hours, the command received a distress call from a concerned citizen that armed men suspected to be herdsmen stormed St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa Community, Etsako East LGA, abducting Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and Seminarian Peter Andrew.
“The police initiated a rescue operation involving the “Operation Rescue teams, vigilantes, and hunters and swiftly rushed to the scene and engaged the attackers in a gun duel.
“One of the suspects whose name is unknown was neutralised, and the corpse deposited at the General Hospital, Agenebode.
“Two pairs of rubber shoes, one button Tecno phone with two SIM cards, one power bank, one dagger jacket, a bag containing biscuits and Nescafè beverage, the sum of N168,850 were recovered in his possession.
“Furthermore, the following suspects; Murtala Ibrahim, 32 years, Joshua Joseph, 31 years, Sadiq Sheidu 35 years, and Sunday Bulus 28 years were arrested.”
Yamu noted that the Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, immediately detailed additional teams of the anti-kidnapping unit to join forces with the Police Mobile Force personnel alongside their military counterparts in that area to ensure the unconditional release of the victims and apprehend their abductors.
In a statement on Tuesday by the Director of Communications, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, the Bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Dr Gabriel Dunia,
lamented the frequent attacks and kidnap of priests, calling on the government to address the security challenge in Edo North.
The statement read, “The Bishop of the Auchi Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Dunia, has expressed sadness at the frequency at which priests in his diocese are attacked and kidnapped and that the once peaceful Edo North, which houses the Diocese of Auchi, has become a field of the absurd where kidnappers come in at will and at regular intervals and kidnap people for ransom.
“It has become a business centre for kidnappers; we are calling on the government to address these persistent security challenges in Edo North and other parts of Edo State.”
He continued, “The Catholic Diocese of Auchi announces that at about 9.30 pm on Monday, March 3, 2025, the Priest’s rectory and church of St Peter Catholic Church, Iviukhua-Agenebode, Etsako East LGA of Edo State, were violently attacked by gunmen.
“Doors and windows in both the rectory and church were pulled down accompanied by gunshots. The local vigilantes engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel. However, due to the superior weapons in possession of the kidnappers, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Philip Ekweli, was unfortunately taken away along with the major seminarian serving in the parish into the surrounding forests.
“At this time, no communication has been had with the abductors yet.”
He expressed the desire of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi for all people of goodwill to join the faithful in prayers so that the abductors would release Fr Ekweli unharmed.
