Police operatives in Ebonyi State have rescued a Methodist cleric abducted in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, forcing his abductors to abandon him during a pursuit.
The cleric, Rev. Ede Sunday, was abducted at about 11:55 p.m. on September 9 at Ndulo Amofia.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, said in a statement on Saturday that two armed men double-crossed the cleric’s vehicle in front of his church, forced him out and took him away on a motorcycle.
He said police operatives launched a pursuit after receiving a distress call, forcing the suspects to abandon the victim at St. James Secondary School, Amofia.
“As the operatives closed in on the suspects, the hoodlums abandoned the victim and fled.
“Rev. Ede Sunday was successfully rescued at St. James Secondary School, Amofia, while his vehicle was also recovered,” he said.
Ukandu said the cleric had been reunited with his family, while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
In a separate operation in Kpirikpiri, Mile 50, Abakaliki, police recovered a locally made Beretta pistol loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition and a mobile phone reportedly stolen during a robbery.
Ukandu said the operation followed intelligence about a suspected cultists’ meeting around a bakery in the area on September 7.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the operatives mobilised to the location and successfully disrupted the gathering.
“Upon sighting the police, the suspects fled the scene, with one of them abandoning a bag,” he said.
He said one suspect, identified as Oshim Chisom, was arrested and was assisting with the investigation.
The police spokesman said efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing suspects.
He added that Commissioner of Police, CP Urunwa Okafor, commended the operatives for their response and urged residents to provide timely and credible information to the police.
Discussion0