Nine days after he was kidnapped, the Catholic Priest of St. Peters Catholic Church, Ivukwa in Etsako East local government area of Edo State, Rev. Fr. Peter Egielewa,has been reportedly released by his abductors.
Sadly the fate of the Seminarian that was abducted with him, Peter Andrew, remained unknown as conflicting reports suggested he had been slain while another version said his location was still unknown.
According to a community source close to the Catholic Church, the priest’s release may have cost at least N20 million. In a widely shared video, a kidnap victim was encircled by men in uniform who were allegedly vigilantes. The men claimed that the victim had been abducted and placed in the same area as the seminarian and priest.
He said they were all forced to close their eyes and in the process they heard a gunshot and then they were told to open their eyes and they saw the seminarian gasping for breath before he died. He said they walked to somewhere in Edo Central from where he escaped.
Moses Yamu, the Police Public Relations Officer, stated when contacted that the police had rescued the priest and would issue an official statement regarding the incident shortly.
