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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The abduction of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Christopher Odia, yesterday morning, amid sporadic shooting by suspected Fulani herdsmen, has left two people dead while a third victim reportedly sustain serious injuries at Ikabigbo community in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was learnt that the Priest was preparing to go for Sunday Mass in the early hours of morning when gunmen stormed his residence in the community and abducted him into the bush.
During the shooting, a Mass server and a member of the local vigilante were shot dead while another vigilante member sustained serious injuries.
The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Bishop Gabriel Dunia, who spoke to our Correspondent on phone, described incident as “sad one because the local security who went after them, two have died. One of them, a mass server, the other a member of the vigilante group who ran after the kidnappers.
“The situation is very riotous, the vigilante people are very angry, am on my way now to the Army in Nikoho. The Fulani, the two who have arrested now are with the army”, Bishop Dunia added.
It was gathered that one of the shot vigilante member was rushed to a hospital at Auchi where he was referred to Irrua specialist hospital from treatment before he died.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of the community, Bramah Alegeh, who confirmed the development, said efforts are on to get the Catholic priest released.
He said the police and the army in collaboration with local vigilante are combing the bush to ensure his release.
