… Police kill 1 , arrest 3 Suspects
The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese , Most Rev. Dr Gabriel Dunia on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the kidnap of Rev Father Philip Ekweli and a Seminarian, Peter Andrew on Monday night by suspected herders at St. Peter Catholic Church Ivukwa , Etsako East Local Government Area of the Edo State.
Bishop Dunia said the marauders invaded the priest’s rectory at about 9.30 pm and overpowered the vigilantes with their superior weapon before taken the Priest and the Seminarian.
He regretted that eight priests had been kidnapped and one killed in the 22 -years life of the Diocese , which was created in 2003, he however , enjoyed faithfuls to join the church in praying for the release of the victims.
A statement by Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa,
Director of Communications, Auchi Diocese said.
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The Catholic Diocese of Auchi announces that at about 9.30 pm on Monday 3rd of March 2025, the Priest’s rectory and church of St Peter Catholic Church, Iviukhua-Agenebode, Etsako East LGA of Edo State, was violently attacked by gunmen. Doors and windows in both the rectory and church were pulled down accompanied by gunshots.
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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.
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At this time, no communication has been had with the abductors yet.
He said the Bishop of the Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese “expresses sadness at the frequency at which priests in his Diocese are attacked and kidnapped and that the once peaceful Edo North of the State, 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, calling on the Government to address these persistent security challengesin Edo North and other parts of Edo State”.
The Catholic Diocese of Auchi, inaugurated on 22nd February 2003, only recently celebrated the twenty-second anniversary of its inauguration, but in the last 5 years, over 8 of her priests have been kidnapped, with one brutally murdered in 2022.
The Catholic Diocese of Auchi requests all people of goodwill to join the faithful of the Diocese in prayers so that the abductors release Fr Ekweli unharmed.”
Reacting, the Edo State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the kidnapping of Rev. Father Philip Ekweli and a Seminarian, Peter Andrew by suspected herders at St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa , Etsako East Local Government Area of the Edo State.
The command spokesman, Moses Yamu, in a statement, said that one of the suspects whose name is unknown was neutralised, and the corpse deposited at the General Hospital Agenebode.
Yamu also said that 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 Ekweli and Seminarian Peter Andrew.
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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.
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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.
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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, has immediately detailed additional teams of the anti kidnapping unit to join forces with Police Mobile Force personnel alongside their military counter parts in that area, to ensure the unconditional release of the victims and apprehend their abductors.
