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Gunmen who have been terrorising Imo State on Sunday continued their nefarious activities when they abducted a Catholic priest whose name has been given as, Reverend Father Jude Maduka who is the parish priest of Christ the King parish, Ezinachi/Ugwuagwo in Okigwe Local Government Area while preparing for service.
A colleague of the victim, who confirmed his kidnap to The Eastern Updates said that the diocesan leadership had been informed.
A source from the parish who does not want to be mentioned said that the kidnap of the priest had put the church into a great panic.
He said ‘it is true. Rev Fr Jude Maduka of Okigwe diocese was kidnapped this morning. He is the parish priest of Christ the King Catholic Church at Ezinachi/ Ugwuago in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.’
Read Also: Gunmen Kill 2 Police Officers, Abduct Catholic Priest In Imo
‘He was kidnapped while preparing for the Sunday Mass. I don’t know why they are targeting Catholic priests. It hasn’t been long they kidnapped the Catholic priest of St Paul’s Catholic Paris Osu in the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area located in the same Okigwe Catholic diocese.’
When contacted by The Eastern updates, a spokesman for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said that he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
This was coming barely 48 hours after gunmen murdered no fewer than two police officers who were reportedly on duty at Okpala junction in Imo State.
The Eastern Updates gathered that they were on duty at a checkpoint at Umudim very close to Okpala Junction along Owerri/Aba road when the gunmen arrived in a large numbers and began shooting.
At the same place, a few police officers were killed around a month earlier.
According to a source, the hoodlums arrived in two vehicles, spotted the police officers, and started fire. Two of the officers died instantly, and one had a leg wound.
