SUSPECTED herdsmen have kidnapped a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Marcellinus Okide, and six motorists in different parts of Enugu State.
The Diocesan Communication Director, Rev. Fr. Anthony Aneke, confirmed the incident in a statement released.
Rev. Aneke disclosed that the incident occured on Sunday evening around 5:00 pm.
He explained that the Reverend Father was whisked a way along Eke-Affa-Egede Road while on his way back to the Parish.
“In a troubling incident, Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Obioma Okide, a Catholic priest, was abducted on September 17, 2023, at approximately 5:00 p.m. while traveling along the Eke-Egede-Affa Road in Nigeria. Fr. Okide, who serves at St. Mary Amofia-Agu Affa Parish, was en route to his parish when the unfortunate incident occurred.
“The diocese has issued a fervent appeal to the faithful and the public at large for prayers, hoping for the swift and safe release of Fr. Okide. Additionally, they are calling for a change of heart on the part of the kidnappers. This distressing event highlights the ongoing challenge of kidnappings in the region.
“Rev. Fr. Wilfred Chidi Agubuchie, the Diocesan Chancellor and Secretary, issued the plea, invoking the Lord’s intervention to free Fr. Okide from the clutches of his captors and to safeguard the nation of Nigeria.
“The incident serves as a stark reminder of the security issues plaguing the country, and the need for concerted efforts to address them,” the statement from the Catholic Parish read.
The kidnap follows shortly after a middle-aged man was killed and many others kidnapped in the state on Saturday.
The Catholic Parish now call for a swift intervention by the government and law enforcement agencies to check the rising state of insecurity in Enugu state so further lives are not lost.