Crime

Abducted Kaduna Catholic priest dies in kidnappers’ den

Published

4 years ago

May 11, 2022

Reverend Father Joseph Akete of the St. John Catholic Church, Kudenda in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who was kidnapped eight weeks ago, has died in captivity.

The Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Rev. Fr. Christian Okewu Emmanuel, disclosed this in Kaduna on Wednesday.

On March 8, some gunmen invaded the St. John Catholic Church, Kudenda in Chikun Local Government Area of the State and abducted the Priest, Reverend Father Joseph Akete, killing one security guard.

According to the Chancellor, the late Catholic Priest had died between April 18 and 20, 2022.

He said the cleric was ill before the abduction, noting that the hoodlums never allowed the Priest to go along with his drugs as of the time of the incident.

The Chancellor said, “Rev. Father, Joseph, aged 48, was kidnapped from his residence, in St. John Catholic Church Kudenda, where he was serving as Parish Priest, on the 8th March, 2022.

“His own brother was killed there in his presence and after his brother was killed, his condition worsened and he died.

“We have not recovered his corpse but we have confirmed his death. People who were kidnapped together with him saw him died.”

The Chancellor quoted the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, to have communicated his deepest sympathies to the breaved family and the entire Catholic Community of St John Catholic Church, Kudenda and assured them of his fraternal closeness and prayers.

“Details of his funeral arrangement will be announced as soon as they are ready. Meanwhile, kindly continue to pray for his peaceful repose, and for the consolation of the bereaved Christian Community in the Archdiocese of Kaduna,” the Chancellor added.

PUNCH

Crime

Anambra Police Burst Gunmen Armoury in Orumba

Published

3 days ago

May 7, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Violent Crime Response Unit of the Anambra State Police Command has uncovered and destroyed an armoury belonging to suspected separatist gunmen at Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South Local Government Area.
The operation, led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Orebe Chidubem Matthew, followed intelligence obtained from a member of the gang currently in police custody.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police disclosed that the camp had previously been dislodged by a Joint Task Force on security operations. However, some members of the gang who escaped during the earlier raid reportedly regrouped and attempted to resume operations.
According to the statement, items recovered from the armoury include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally-made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder, and one black Ecolac box.
“Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession by the suspect in custody, intelligence had been received over time on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup. However, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit resisted and dismantled the camp following a gun duel with the unrepentant members,” the statement read.
The police further stated that some of the armed suspects fled the scene with varying degrees of bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect in custody confessed to involvement in several violent attacks across Anambra State, including attacks on police facilities, the killing of security personnel comprising police, military, and civil defence officers, attacks on government facilities, and the murder of security operatives on stop-and-search duties on various roads in the state.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that with the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit, operatives of the command are now better positioned and more motivated to sustain offensive operations against criminal elements threatening the peace and security of the state.