{"id":150947,"date":"2025-02-16T12:02:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T11:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/uncategorized\/gunmen-kidnap-catholic-priest-in-onitsha-one-other-in-nnewi"},"modified":"2025-02-20T16:17:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T15:17:28","slug":"gunmen-kidnap-catholic-priest-in-onitsha-one-other-in-nnewi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/all-news\/gunmen-kidnap-catholic-priest-in-onitsha-one-other-in-nnewi","title":{"rendered":"Gunmen kidnap Catholic priest in Onitsha, one other in Nnewi"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Nigeria. <\/strong><\/span>A Catholic priest, Rev Fr Jude Onyeka, has been abducted by gunmen in Anambra State. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, February 13, 2025, along the Building Material-Ugwunwasike Bypass in Ogidi.<\/p>\n<p>Also, an unknown man was kidnapped on Saturday evening in Nnewi. A source said the man, who was driving a Mercedes Benz SUV, was double-crossed and taken into their car, with his vehicle abandoned on the way.<\/p>\n<p>A video circulating online shows bystanders announcing the number plate of the vehicle for those who may know him to be able to identify it.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the kidnap of Fr. Onyeka, popularly known as Fr. Marshal, a priest of the Onitsha Archdiocese who previously served as the Parish Priest of St. Edmund Catholic Church, Nkpor, before his recent transfer to St. Dominic Catholic Church, Abatete, in Idemili North Local Government Area, was announced by the Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Rev. Fr. Prudentus Aroh.<\/p>\n<p>He confirmed the abduction in a brief statement to the Onitsha Archdiocesan Presbyterium platform. He reported that the kidnappers have not yet established contact with the church or the victim\u2019s family.<\/p>\n<p>He said, \u201cThe Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian M. Okeke, has called for fervent prayers for Fr. Onyeka\u2019s safe and swift release. He urged the faithful to seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, as efforts continue to secure the priest\u2019s freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Command, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, however, said the command has not received a formal report of the incident.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Nigeria<\/span> Follow <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; Nigeria. A Catholic priest, Rev Fr Jude Onyeka, has been abducted by gunmen in Anambra State. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, February 13, 2025, along the Building Material-Ugwunwasike Bypass in Ogidi. Also, an unknown man was kidnapped on Saturday evening in Nnewi. A source said the man, who was driving a Mercedes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":150946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,30],"tags":[190,254,2926,5068],"class_list":["post-150947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-gunmen","tag-nigeria","tag-nnewi","tag-onitsha"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gunmen kidnap Catholic priest in Onitsha, one other in Nnewi - Nigeria<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Catholic priest, Rev Fr Jude Onyeka, has been abducted by gunmen in Anambra State. 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