Two catholic priests have been abducted by armed bandits in Edo, the police authority in the state, said on Sunday. 

The ugly incident came amid continued abduction on clergymen and attack on Christian worshippers in the country. 

Udo Peter of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Uromi and Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Centre in Esan South East LGA of the state, were kidnapped around Ehor and Iruekpen communities on the Benin-Auchi expressway.

The duo were kidnapped on Saturday night. 

In a statement on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Edo Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the police was informed about the abduction by Amos Abhulimen, another catholic priest with St. Dominic Catholic Church, in Ugboha. 

Mr Chidi explained that the Edo Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, has dispatched security agencies to the scene with a view to rescuing the clergymen from the kidnappers den.

“This is to confirm the kidnap incident of two Catholic reverend fathers, Reverend Father Udo Peter of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Uromi and Reverend Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.

“The Edo State Police Command was informed of the incident by the Divisional Police Officer, Ugboha, Edo State, that on Sunday 03/07/2022, one Reverend Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church Ugboha reported that he was informed by the Catholic authority via WhatsApp that the above-named Catholic Reverend Fathers were attacked, kidnapped, and taken to an unknown place by some kidnappers along Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen communities.

“Immediately, the Commissioner of Police Edo State, CP Abutu Yaro, fdc dispatched police operatives to the area and warned to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt in arresting the kidnappers and for the rescuing of the Reverend Fathers unhurt.

“The CP solicits the cooperation of the general public in giving information to the Police and other sister security agencies in Policing Edo State” Mr Nwabuzor statement added. 

The latest incident came barely a week that a Catholic priest, Christopher Odia of St. Michael Catholic Church, lkhabigbo in Etsako LGA of same Edo state, was kidnapped and later killed. 

Mr Odia was abducted from his rectory while he traveling to conduct a mass for worshippers at the parish last week Sunday.