CATHOLIC PRIEST KIDNAPPED

The kidnap of Madu comes barely two months after two Catholic Priests of Enugu Diocese were kidnapped and killed.

The Director of Communication said, “this incident is coming barely two months after Rev. Fr. Offu was gruesomely killed by gunmen at Ihe-Agbudu road in August. This year alone, two Priests have been killed while three escaped.”

Penpushing further reports that, the Priest recalled that Clement Ugwu, a reverend father of the St Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was kidnapped in his house on March, and was later found dead.

“On August 2, 2019, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu was killed by another gunmen suspected to be herdsmen. Before Fr. Offu’s murder, Rev. Fr. Paulinus Ilo was attacked by Fulani Herdsmen along Numeh-Nenwe road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state,” he said.

The Enugu State Police Command Public Relations Officer Ebere Amaraizu, also confirmed the kidnap incident, adding that the police was on the trail of the abductors with a view to freeing the victim.

“The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force through its operatives has intensified manhunt on the abductors of Rev Fr Arinze Madu of the Queen of Apostles Seminary School, Imezi Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State with a view to liberating victims unhurt and arresting suspects.

“It was gathered that the priest was allegedly abducted on October 28 at about 5.50 p.m. near the gate of the Seminary located at Imezi owa as he was driving out of the Seminary premises after suspected hoodlums had allegedly fired sporadically,” Amaraizu said.

The Enugu State Government in reaction to the development “expressed deep concern about the unfortunate incident” and charged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure that the priest was rescued unhurt.

Penpushing also reports that the Government assured that it will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the abducted cleric regains his freedom”, and reassured the people of its “commitment to continue to make the state safe and to sustain the enviable status of Enugu as one of the safest and most peaceful states in Nigeria.”

The Government, urged members of the public to remain calm and to go about their normal businesses while “government will continue to support the security agencies to secure lives and property of the people.”