A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Echezona of St. Patrick Church, Ichida, has been abducted by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Intelligence sources revealed that the incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday when four armed men, operating in a white Lexus 330 SUV with an unknown registration number, intercepted the cleric and whisked him away along with his Toyota Highlander SUV.
A joint team of security operatives and local vigilantes (AVG) responded swiftly, pursuing the assailants and engaging them in a gun duel at a road intersection between Oraeri and Akwaeze villages.
Though the criminals managed to escape, their Lexus SUV sustained significant damage, including a shattered rear windshield.
