A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Mathias Opara, has been reportedly kidnapped by some unknown gunmen in Imo State.
Reports obtained by OsunDaily News revealed that the Catholic Priest was returning from a burial ceremony of a colleague’s father at the Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) when he was ambushed and abducted along Ejemekwuru and Ogbaku road between Oguta and Mbaitoli LGA.
An eyewitness who spoke to journalists on the development explained that the priest was double-crossed and kidnapped along with some people in the same vehicle while driving back to Owerri.
“The incident happened right before us. We were also coming back to Owerri from the funeral ceremony when the incident occurred,” Peoples Gazette quoted the eyewitness saying.
Reacting to the incident, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, told journalists that he was yet to receive official notice of the abduction.
However, the Director of Public Communications of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Raymond Ogu, confirmed the incident to journalists saying the priest was ambushed and later kidnapped.
“It was on his way back from Izombe. These guys came out from the bush and ambushed them.
“There were about five people in the vehicle, including the priest, but one small boy among them in the vehicle escaped during the ambush.
“The hoodlums took the priest and the other three passengers away but at some point, they released the other three to take his car but they went away with the priest into the bush,” Ogu reportedly said.
OsunDaily News understands that Opara’s abduction came barely a week after gunmen kidnapped the priest of Christ the King Parish, Ezinachi/Ugwuago of the Diocese of Okigwe in Okigwe Local Government Area, Rev. Fr. Jude Maduka.
It would be recalled that Maduka was kidnapped while preparing for the Eucharistic Mass celebration at his adoration ground.
A Catholic Priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Osu, in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, Rev. Fr. Michael Asumogha, in Okigwe Catholic diocese was equally kidnapped in April and later released.
