A Catholic Priest from Onitsha Archdiocese has been abducted by gunmen in Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The cleric, Joseph Igweagu, was abducted by the gunmen on Wednesday, in Umunnachi, a community in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
The chancellor of the archdiocese, Emeka Aroh, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said Mr Igweagu was abducted while he was returning to his house after holding a funeral vigil mass in the community.
“It is with shock but strong faith in the love and protection of God that we announce to the priests, religious, lay faithful of Onitsha Archdiocese and all men and women of goodwill, the abduction of our priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Igweagu,” Mr Aroh, a Catholic priest, said in the statement.
He solicited “sincere prayers” from Catholic faithful for the release of the cleric.
Mr Igweagu is the priest in charge of St. Joseph’s Parish Abata Nsugbe, a community in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.
“The Archdiocese of Onitsha is doing everything possible to secure his freedom,” the chancellor added.
“While we pray for the conversion of his abductors, we call on our Mother Mary, the undoer of knots, to intercede on his behalf so that he will be quickly released unhurt.”
When contacted on Tuesday, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not aware of the abduction.
“I don’t have such a report before here,” he said.
He, however, urged the leadership of the church “to come forward to the police” and furnish them with information that will aid police investigation into the incident.
“It is a very condemnable one. It’s not a good development at all,” said Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police.
Increase in abduction cases
Abduction for ransom has increased in South-east recent times, especially in Anambra and Abia States.
The latest incident occurred barely 24 hours before gunmen abducted a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly in Nkwelle, a community in Awka South Local Government Area of the state.
In August, gunmen abducted a Catholic priest along Okigwe-Umunneochi Road, between Imo and Abia states, Nigeria’s South-east.
The cleric, Chinedu Nwadike, was abducted alongside a Catholic seminarian, Emmanuel Nwafor, while they were on their way to Enugu State.
They were released about two days after their abduction.
Two months ago, gunmen abducted a police officer at Mbala Divisional Police Headquarters in Isuochi Community, Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
The abducted officer, simply identified as Dickson, is a deputy superintendent of police, and the divisional crime officer in the police facility.
In May, gunmen abducted and then beheaded Okechukwu Okoye, a lawmaker representing Aguata 2 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Mr Okoye was killed on 21 May with his aide, Cyril Chiegboka, six days after they were abducted along Aguluzigbo Road, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state.
In the same month, Samuel Kanu-Uche, the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, was kidnapped alongside two other priests, while they were on their way from a programme in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
The clerics were released about two days later after reportedly paying N100 million to the kidnappers.
On 31 July, gunmen abducted scores of passengers along Enugu-Port Harcourt highway between Leru Junction and Ihube Community, a boundary between Imo and Abia states, Nigeria’s South-east.
The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any role in the attacks.
IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.
