In the Ikabigbo community of the Etsako West local government of Edo State, a Catholic priest named Rev. Fr. Osia has reportedly been kidnapped.
On Sunday morning, as Osia was getting ready for Mass at home, he was kidnapped.
A source with knowledge of the situation claimed that local vigilante groups are trying to save the priest.
The source claims that the assailants shot one of the neighbourhood boys while looking for the cleric.
He claimed that although the victim was taken urgently to a hospital in Auchi, Irrua specialised hospital was recommended for treatment.
The community’s traditional leaders, Bramah Alegeh, confirmed the development but added that efforts are still being made to secure the priest’s release.
Alegeh claims that security organisations and vigilantes are searching the bush to secure his release.
In another development, two alleged armed robbers were shot and killed by the Edo State police command.
It was discovered that on Sunday morning, the suspects robbed a gas station in the capital city of Benin.
After the robbery at the gas station, the thieves left the area and went to another, where they were met by police, who engaged them in a duel.
The command spokesperson, who noted that other gang members managed to escape with injuries, confirmed the development.
He claimed that armed robbers had broken into the Rubec Oil and Gas Station off Murtala Mohamed Way in Benin City and that the police had received information to that effect.
The spokesperson claimed that after being immediately mobilised to the scene, the police and Vigilante discovered that they had relocated.
He claimed that the security team followed the robbers to their destination and that when they saw them, the robbers opened fire.
Two of the armed robbers were killed during the incident, while others managed to flee with varying degrees of bullet wounds, the spokesperson said.
The suspects’ deaths were confirmed at the Police Cottage hospital, he continued, after they had been taken there.
