A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Christian Ike was on Sunday kidnapped by gunmen.
Gatekeepers News reports that this came about a month after Rev. Fr. Basil Gbuzuo was abducted by some gunmen also in Onitsha, Anambra state.
Rev. Gbuzuo was released some weeks later after some amount of money was paid to the abductors as ransome
According to reports, Rev. Ike was abducted at Amagu Junction, Ndiokpalaeke near Ajalli in Orumba North LGA of Anambra state.
However, the reason for Rv. Ike’s abduction is unknown as his abductors are yet to contact his relations or his parishioners.
According to eyewitnesses, the priest was returning from St. Michael’s Catholic Church where he and two other people attended an early morning Mass when the vehicle he was in, was double-crossed by the abductors.
One of them said, “On getting to Amagu Junction, their vehicle was double-crossed by armed men operating in three vehicles, but the two others who were inside the same vehicle with Fr. Ike barely managed to escape the scene, while the criminals took away the priest and some personal belongings of the escaped occupants in the vehicle.”
The Anambra State police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga has also confirmed the incident to newsmen.
He said the command had heard about the incident and had deployed its intelligence and operational assets for the priest’s rescue.
Ikenga said, “Anambra State Police Command received the information of the abduction of Rev Father Christian Ike and has deployed its intelligence and operational assets of the Command for possible rescue unhurt.”
“To this end, the Command has activated its intelligence and operational assets for possible arrest of the assailants and rescue unhurt of the priest and further development shall be communicated as it unfolds”.
