Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, the priest in charge of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo, in the state’s Etsako West Local Government Area, was tragically assassinated by unidentified gunmen last Sunday.
Gunmen have abducted two Catholic priests: Rev. Father Udo from St. Patrick Catholic Church in Uromi and Rev. Father Philemon Oboh from St. Joseph Retreat Center in Ugboha.
The two were kidnapped on Saturday night between Ehor and Iruekpen towns along the Benin-Auchi Expressway, the state police command said on Sunday.
The police statement signed by the spokesperson for the state command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said, “This is to confirm the kidnap of two Catholic Rev. Fathers; Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Center, Ugboha in Esan South East LGA of Edo State.“
The Divisional Police Officer in Ugboha, Edo State, informed the Edo State Police Command of the incident. He stated that on Sunday, July 3, 2022, Rev. Father Amos Abhulimen of St. Dominic Catholic Church Ugboha received word via WhatsApp from the Catholic authority that the aforementioned Catholic Rev. Fathers had been attacked, kidnapped, and taken to an unidentified location by some kidnappers along the Benin-Auchi Expressway between Ehor and Iruekpen Communities.
“Immediately, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, dispatched policemen to the area to carry out an aggressive and well-coordinated manhunt in arresting the kidnappers as well as rescue the Rev. Fathers unhurt,” they claimed
Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, the priest in charge of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo, in the state’s Etsako West Local Government Area, was tragically assassinated by unidentified gunmen last Sunday.
Odia was taken away from his house as he was getting ready to depart for mass. Last Sunday, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa, Director of Social Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, announced that the clergyman had been murdered.
The statement said, “With heavy hearts but with total submission to the will of God, we announce the death of our priest Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, who was killed by his abductors after being kidnapped this morning, June 26, 2022, around 6.30 am in his rectory while coming out to go for Sunday mass at St. Michael Catholic Church Ikabigbo, Uzairue, Edo State.”
Also around a week ago, gunmen believed to be terrorists shot and murdered Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo, a 50-year-old Catholic priest in Kaduna. The militants assassinated the priest from Kaduna during a raid on the Prison Farm at Kujama, which is located along the Kaduna-Kachia Road.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna’s Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Christian Emmanuel, issued a statement in which he said: “It is with a heavy heart, but with total submission to God’s will that we announce the death of Rev. Fr. Vitus Borogo, which sad event took place today (Saturday) at Prison Farm, Kujama, along Kaduna-Kachia Road, after a raid on the farm by terrorists.”
A group of terrorists attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State on Sunday, June 5, 2022, during mass, murdering roughly 40 worshippers. A large number of worshipers were hurt during the terrible assault.
Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s repeated denials that Islamic jihadists in the nation are targeting Christians, attacks on churches and priests seem to be on the rise throughout the nation.
