Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest In Kogi

The clergyman of St. Paul Catholic Parish, Agaliga-Efabo successful Olamaboro section authorities country of Kogi State, Rev. Fr. Wilfred Ezemba has been kidnapped by chartless gunmen astatine gunpoint.

The abduction reportedly took spot connected Saturday, September 13, 2025, successful Imane successful Olamaboro section authorities country of the State.

Our analogous learnt that the cleric whitethorn person been abducted on with different yet-to-be-identified commuters on Imane-Ogugu Road.

The incidental has thrown the full Catholic household successful the section authorities into disorder arsenic the kidnappers were yet to marque interaction with members of the church.

Another Catholic clergyman successful the LGA, who simply identified himself arsenic Fr. Michael, said, “We are confused due to the fact that since his abduction 3 days ago, his abductors person not made immoderate interaction to request a ransom. But we are, however, assured that Almighty God volition present him safely from the grip of the kidnappers.

“We judge powerfully successful the efficacy of our prayers, helium volition yet regain his freedom.”

LEADERSHIP gathered that information agencies, comprising the Nigeria Police, subject and Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch (KENW), person started combing the bushes and forests successful the locality successful the kidnappers’ trail.

The abduction is said to beryllium the 2nd kidnapping successful 1 week wrong the section government.

“One Barr. A B Shaibu was kidnapped connected 7-09-2025, Sunday evening, by gunmen betwixt Etieke and Okugoh successful the aforesaid section government. His household was said to person paid an unspecified magnitude of ransom earlier helium was released to his household past Thursday,” a root told our correspondent.

When contacted, the spokesperson of Kogi State Police Command, SP Williams Ovye Aya, promised to corroborate and get backmost to our reporter.

“I’m yet to get the information. However, I volition find retired from our men connected the crushed successful that section authorities and get backmost to you,” SP Aya said.

The abduction came hardly 2 weeks aft the Pastor of Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN) Church, Pastor Friday Adehi and Gabriel Ezekiel of the aforesaid Church were kidnapped soon aft religion work connected Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Idah Branch has called connected governments astatine each levels to instrumentality capable steps to code information concerns, particularly, incessant kidnappings successful the Kogi East senatorial territory of the State.

Chairman of the Branch, Barr. James Michael expressed sadness implicit the caller surge successful kidnapping activities, including the caller kidnapping of Shauibu who is simply a subordinate of the Branch.

“We, the Nigerian Bar Association, Idah Branch, urgently telephone for drastic steps to code the alarming insecurity complaint successful Kogi East.

“Recent incidents, including the kidnapping of our member, A.B. Shuaib Esq, astatine Okugo successful Olamaboro Local Government Area, and predominant abductions on Okura-Ojapata, Ochadamu-Itobe-Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road, and Ikeje-Aloma Road, underscore the dire request for enhanced information measures.

“It is expected that the authorities volition hearken to the outcry of acrophobic citizens to code the contented of recurrent kidnappings going connected successful Kogi State,” Michael said.