Gunmen Kidnap Catholic Priest, Three Others In Ebonyi

Some unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Joseph Azubuike, in Ebonyi State.

Reports made available to newsmen on Tuesday revealed that the cleric was abducted yesterday in Isu, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, close to his residence in the area while returning from pastoral duties.

The assailants, Naija News learnt, also abducted three other persons whose identities could not be immediately ascertained.

The Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki in the state confirmed Azubuike’s abduction in a statement by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Uzoma Opoke, titled: “Call for prayers.”

“Fr. Joseph is the Parish Priest of St. Charles Parish, Mgbalaeze Isu in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

“He was abducted alongside three other people. The abductors are making financial demands, but with your prayers, we are going to have them back unconditionally.

“May Mother Mary of priests intercede for us. Amen. St. Joseph-Pray for us,” the statement reads.

However, the state police command has not issued any official statement on the abduction as of reporting time, Naija News understands.

Four Policemen Killed As Terrorists Attack Zamfara Community

At least five persons, including four officers of the Nigeria Police Force, were reportedly killed on Monday midnight in Zamfara state by some terrorists.

Naija News learnt that the assailants stormed the Bungudu local government area of the state and begin to fire gunshots indiscriminately.

The deceased officers were said to have mounted a checkpoint along Bungudu-Gusau Road when the terrorists stormed the community, and confronted them in a gunfire.

Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday morning, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the latest attack saying police officers were shot dead in the confrontation.

A resident of the community who spoke with the news platform, Ibrahim Bungudu, also confirmed that four police officers were murdered in the incident.

He disclosed further that the terrorists coined bandits also killed one person in Tagero village, which is located in the Furfuri area of the Bungudu Local Government Area (LGA).

According to him, the assailants also carted away many cattle belonging to Tagero village inhabitants.

“The bandits ambushed the police along Gusau-Bungudu road close to Nabature company and killed four. They also rustled many cattle at Tagero village under Furfuri district, one person was shot in the hand in the village,” Bagudu reportedly said.

Another resident, Usman Bungudu, said armed terrorists ambushed the police officers when they were on checkpoint duty at about midnight and killed four of them.

“The incident happened around 12 am when the policemen mounted a checkpoint along Gusau road. The bandits just ambushed and shot at them; they ran away after killing four policemen,” he said.