A Catholic priest, Arinze Madu, has been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Enugu State, Nigeria.
According to Premium Times, Fr. Madu, a Vice-Rector at the Queen of Apostle Spiritual Year Seminary, Imezi-Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was kidnapped at the gate of the institution on Monday.
His kidnap comes barely two months after two Catholic priests of Enugu Diocese were kidnapped and killed.
The Director of Communication, Enugu Catholic Diocese, Benjamin Achi, confirmed the kidnap.
Achi, a reverend father like the victim, described the incident as terrifying.
“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.”
The cleric 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 in March, and was later found dead.
“On August 2, 2019, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu was killed by another set of 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 police spokesman in the state, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the kidnap incident. He said the command was on the trail of the abductors with a view to freeing the cleric.
“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 him 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,” Mr Amaraizu said.