Police arrest suspected kidnappers of Edo Catholic Seminary Rector

The Edo State Police Command has arrested two persons in connection with the kidnap of the Rector of the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Ivhianokpodi, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Rev. Fr. Thomas Oyode.

The state Commissioner of Police, Umoru Ozigi, disclosed this while parading seven other criminal suspects at the police command in Benin City.

He said efforts are being made to release the kidnapped Rev. Father and arrest other fleeing suspects.

Recall that Oyode was kidnapped on Sunday by gunmen when he went to the evening mass in the area.

During the attack, it was gathered that the gunmen took two students after sporadic shootings, but Rev. Fr. Oyode pleaded with the kidnappers to free the students and instead kidnap him, who is the Rector and custodian of the students.

The gunmen were said to have released the two students and taken Oyode into custody.

Briefing journalists during the parade of some of the suspects in Benin, the CP, in demonstration of their readiness to secure the release of the kidnapped Catholic priest, said that two of the suspects involved in the kidnapping operation have been apprehended and that they are helping the police with useful information to arrest others at large.

He further called on the members of the public to volunteer useful information that can lead to the arrest of criminals in the state, noting that the police alone can’t do it, thus the need for collaboration.