The two Catholic priests who were kidnapped by gunmen last Saturday night in Agbarha-Otor town in Delta State’s Ughelli North Local Government Area have been released.
Rev. Fr. Raphael Ogigbah, the parish priest of St. Francis Catholic Parish Agbarha-Otor, Catholic Diocese of Warri, and Rev. Fr. Kunav Chochos, a Schoenstartt Fathers Missionary Priest, reportedly recovered their release from the abductors on Thursday.
At noon on Thursday, the embattled priests were released from the hoodlums’ hideout and reunited with the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Warri.
A senior priest in the diocese who confirmed the abducted fathers’ release to journalists did not say whether a ransom was paid to ensure their release.
However, it was learned that the abductors had previously demanded N20 million in ransom for the release of the Catholic priests.
When contacted, DSP Bright Edafe, the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, assured our correspondent that the Command has taken every security precaution to ensure the abducted priests’ release.
Last Saturday, Frs. Ogigbah and Chochos were abducted in front of the Michael and Cecilia Ibru University in Agbarha-Otor, close to Ughelli.
Rev. Fr. Chochos, who works and resides in Ibadan, Oyo State, traveled to Delta to see his buddy, Fr. Ogigbah, in Agbarha-Otor, the hometown of the famed Ibru family.
