Worshippers Resort To Prayers As Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest In Kogi

Rev. Fr. Wilfred Ezemba of St Paul Catholic Church successful Agaliga-Efabo successful Olamaboro section authorities country of Kogi State has been kidnapped by suspected gunmen.

He was abducted past Saturday successful Imane with different yet-to-be-identified commuters connected Imane-Ogugu Road.

The incidental has thrown the Catholic household successful the assembly into disorder arsenic the kidnappers person yet to interaction the church.

A clergyman successful the country who simply identified himself arsenic Fr. Michael, said, “We are confused; since his abduction 3 days ago, his abductors person not made immoderate interaction oregon demanded ransom. We are, however, assured that Almighty God volition rescue 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, including Kogi East Neighbourhood Watch (KENW), Police, and troops, person been combing the bushes for the kidnappers.

The abduction of the clergyman is said to beryllium the 2nd incidental successful 1 week wrong the council. One Barr A. B. Shaibu was kidnapped connected Sunday (September 7, 2025) 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 past Thursday.

When contacted for confirmation, the authorities constabulary command’s spokesperson SP Williams Ovye Aya promised to get backmost to our correspondent.

“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,” Aya said

Two weeks ago, a pastor of the Christian Evangelical Fellowship of Nigeria (CEFN) Church, Friday Adehi and Gabriel Ezekiel of the aforesaid religion were kidnapped aft a Sunday work successful Kogi East.

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

The subdivision chairman, James Michael, expressed sadness implicit the summation successful kidnapping activities successful Kogi State, including the caller abduction of a lawyer, A.B. Shauib, who is simply a subordinate of the chapter.

He said, “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 astatine Okugo successful Olamaboro section authorities country and predominant abductions connected 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,” Michae said.