Abducted Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Rev. Fr. Philip-Mario Ekweli, has been released.
The news of his release was received Thursday – yesterday, March 13 – evening but the whereabouts of the Seminarian, Peter Andrew, abducted along with the Reverend Father is yet unknown, even as conflicting reports say he has been killed.
The duo were reportedly abducted from the parish rectory at St. Peter the Apostolic Catholic Church, Iviukhua, Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of the Auchi Diocese of the Catholic Church at 9. 30 pm Monday night on the 3rd of March.
It was learnt that not less than N20 million ransom was reportedly paid two days ago to secure Rev. Fr. Ekweli’s freedom though it was claimed that the Reverend Father was rescued.
A viral video yesterday, showed a kidnap victim surrounded by uniformed men believed to be vigilantes. The kidnap victim in the video claimed that he was kidnapped and put in the same location as the priest and seminarian.
He narrated that they were all forced to close their eyes and in the process they heard a gunshot and then they were told to open their eyes and they saw the seminarian gasping for breath before he died.
He said they trekked to somewhere in Edo Central from where he escaped.
The Auchi Diocese of the Catholic Church has yet to issue an official statement.
Spokesman of Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, said the priest was rescued by the police and that the police would soon issue an official statement.
