Kidnappers have seized the Parish priest of St. Francis Catholic Parish Agbarha-Otor, Catholic Diocese of Warri, Rev. Fr. Raphael Ogigbah, and a Missionary Priest of the Schoenstartt Fathers, Rev. Fr. Kunav Chochos in Delta State.
Both clergymen were kidnapped in front of the Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State on Saturday night.
Rev. Fr. Chochos who works and lives in Ibadan, Oyo State, had visited his brother priest and friend, Fr Ogigbah, at Agbarha-Otor, near Ughelli.
Both priests later went to a nearby parish to visit another priest friend, but on their way back in the night, the suspected kidnappers intercepted their vehicle and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
As at the time of filing this report, it wasn’t certain if the kidnappers had made contact with the families of the victims yet or demanded for any ransom.
Efforts to reach the Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Warri, Rev. Fr. Thaddeus Okpowodu, proved abortive.
Meanwhile, the Delegate Superior of the Schoenstartt Fathers, Very Rev. Fr. Okereke Kingsley Kizito, in a memo issued on Sunday, confirmed the kidnapping of the two priests.
The memo reads; “Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it is with great pain and concern that we come to you with this sad notice. Our brother, Fr. Chochos Kunav, Schoenstartt Fathers, lives and works in Ibadan. However, he traveled to Warri yesterday to visit his friend, Fr. Raphael Ogigbah of the Catholic Diocese of Warri and the Parish priest of St. Francis Catholic Church Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North, Delta State.
”Unfortunately, after a short visit to the priest in a nearby parish, both Fr. Chochos Kunav and Fr. Raphael Ogigbah were kidnapped last night on their way back to the parish of Fr. Raphael Ogigbah. The incidents occurred on the road, in front of the Ibru University, Agbarha-Otor.
“We ask for intense prayers for quick and safe release.”
The Delta State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, described as unfortunate that the priests had to go through such ordeal, but assured that his men were on the trail of the kidnappers.
