Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest.

Daredevil armed robbers have abducted Rev. Fr. Kingsley Eze, also known as Father Ichie, the Catholic priest in charge of Saint Michael’s Catholic Church Parish in Umuekebi of Osuoweerre autonomous community in Isiala Mbano local government area of Imo State.

At the always-busy Orieama crossroads at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, the priest and another individual in the Volvo jeep they were traveling in together, Uchenna Newman, were kidnapped.

It was learned that the gunmen attacked the priest and his associate when they were stopping at Orie Ama Junction to make a purchase from the roadside vendors.

The shooters arrived at the site with two motorbikes and began firing intermittently, according to sources who begged to remain anonymous.

But in the midst of gunfire, they robbed store owners of their money before taking off with their victims.

According to an unverified claim, a bystander was struck by a stray gunshot and taken to the hospital for emergency care.

A trader who asked to remain anonymous claimed that the robbery and kidnapping had already become the standard since certain victims, such as Mr. Ezeji from the Mbeke village and Mr. Buchi, a well-known butcher at Umuelemia Junction, had previously paid large ransoms to be freed from the gunmen.

According to the informant, the priest and the other individual had just exited a Volvo Jeep to make a purchase at the intersection when they were abducted. Around 8:30 p.m. last night, the gunmen also robbed businesspeople at the intersection. Actually, the kidnappers, who rode two motorbikes, broke into and smashed numerous more establishments.

They grabbed the Volvo Jeep and launched it into the air as they were driving. Sadly, the bullet only missed one person.Very late last night, the shooting victim was taken to a hospital.

The Imo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, said he was in a meeting and would answer later; thus, attempts to gain a response from him were unsuccessful.