Gunmen have abducted a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Gerald Ohaeri, in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. The incident occurred on Saturday evening along the Ugwogo Nike-Opi Expressway in Nsukka Local Government Area.
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit, a Catholic religious body also known as the Holy Ghost Fathers, confirmed the abduction in a statement issued on Sunday by its secretary, Reverend Father Vitalis Anusionwu. According to the statement, Father Ohaeri was kidnapped while returning from a function in Isienu, Enugu.
“We solicit your fervent prayers and supplications to God for his safe and prompt release,” Reverend Anusionwu stated.
Efforts to get a response from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, had not responded to calls or messages as of the time of this report.
The Ugwogo Nike-Opi Expressway has become notorious for frequent kidnappings in recent months, with civil servants, business owners, politicians, and students frequently targeted.
This latest incident comes two months after gunmen kidnapped Professor Oguejiofor Ujam on the same road. Professor Ujam managed to escape captivity following a confrontation between his abductors and security operatives. In another case, Federal Road Safety Corps official Emeason Chima was abducted along the route and remains in captivity.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of Father Ohaeri, the region has experienced an uptick in violent attacks often attributed to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group seeking the secession of parts of southeastern and south-southern Nigeria.
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