Police rescue kidnapped priest, arrest suspect
The Police Command in Enugu State has rescued an abducted Enugu-based Catholic priest without payment of ransom as demanded by his abductors.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Catholic Priest identified as Rev. Fr. Paulinus Udewangu of St. Marks Catholic Church, Nsude in Udi Local Government Area of the state was abducted on July 4 during his routine jogging exercise within the axis.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement that the Catholic priest was released unhurt.
“Father Udewangu of St. Marks Catholic Church, Nsude was left off the hook of the abductors enclave located within Udi-Ozalla Forest axis of the state on July 7 following intensive pressure and search mounted by the operatives of the command.
“The intensive pressure and search mounted by the operatives forced his abductors who were earlier demanding for N100 million to abandon him.
“Just as police operatives acting on intelligence information were closing up on them,’’ he said.
Amaraizu said that a full scale investigation had commenced into the incident adding that one person had been nabbed in connection with the kidnap.
The spokesman noted that the suspect had been helping police operatives in their investigations.