BEVERLY HILLS, April 11, (THEWILL) – Gunmen on Sunday morning abducted a Catholic priest in Imo State.
The priest, Rev. Prof. Izu Marcell Onyeocha, was said to have been abducted around 7am at Ihube Community in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
Prof. Onyeocha hails from Avuru in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state.
His kinsman, Jerry Ogu, confirmed his abduction
The victim, who is a lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities at the Imo State University, is a native of Avuru Community in Ikeduru council area.
He was said to have been on transit from Enugu to Owerri when the incident happened.
According to a resident of Okigwe town, the cleric was driving when the gunmen accosted him.
They were said to have shot sporadically into the air to force him to stop.
The source said: “Rev Fr Marcel Izuchukwu Onyeocha has been kidnapped. He was Waylaid on the Okigwe-Enugu Expressway while coming back to Imo State from Enugu. He was actually kidnapped at the Ihube axis of the Road.
“As I speak to you, fear has engulfed the IMSU community as well as the Owerri Catholic archdiocese faithful. Why will the priest be a victim of kidnap? Who did he offend? This is a man who has been reshaping lives and destinies as a don in IMSU. We pray he comes back unhurt.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of IMSU, Ralph Obi- Njoku, said that he had informed the Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Akah, and the university’s Chief Security Officer about the priest’s abduction.
A Police Spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, said he had not been brief about the incident.
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