Body of abducted Catholic cleric found in Imo State

One feared killed as hoodlums allegedly attack police patrol team

The body of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Cyriacus Onunkwo, abducted on Friday, was found dead on Saturday at a location in Omuma, Oru East Local Council of Imo State.

The late Onunkwo, who hailed from Osina, Ideato South Local Council of Imo State, was a cleric in Orlu Diocese. He was said to be returning to his ancestral home to arrange for the burial of his father who passed on last week Monday when some suspected gunmen attacked his vehicle and abducted him at a popular Banana Junction, Amaifeke, Orlu, all in Imo State, and took him to an unknown place.

The cleric, whose late father’s body, according to a family source, is still at the morgue, has also been taken to the morgue. The Imo State Police Commissioner, Chris Okey Ezike, who confirmed the incident, said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances.

In another development, there was a pandemonium yesterday at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, capital of Osun State, when some rampaging thugs allegedly attacked members of a police patrol team who came to the area in response to a distress call over alleged breach of peace.

The Guardian learnt that some hoodlums allegedly attacked the police patrol team when they sighted it with dangerous weapons and damaged their patrol vehicle.

One of the hoodlums, identified as Segun Emir, according to a source, was allegedly shot by a policeman in the ensuing fracas at Gbeja football pitch in Oke-Baale area.

Emir was said to have been unlucky and was shot in the chest when he and his colleagues advanced and attacked the policemen on patrol following a heated argument.

The source said the deceased was rushed to a private hospital near the scene of the incident but was rejected due to the extent of injuries he sustained.

Efforts made to save his life by rushing him to Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo, were unsuccessful as he was confirmed dead on arrival at the health facility.

The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye, who spoke on the issue, said the state police command was in control, adding that normalcy had been restored to the troubled area.

He added that he had ordered full-scale investigation into the incident. Also, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state’s Police Command, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, said the deceased was among the thugs that attacked a police patrol team and prevented the policemen from rescuing some people who made a distress call to the police.

She said: “We received a distress call that over 50 thugs led by the trio of Akaje, Ora and Epo were harassing innocent people at Oke-Baale area in Osogbo and that people’s lives were in danger.

“Policemen were swiftly deployed to the scene to rescue people and when the police patrol team got there, the thugs attacked the policemen with dangerous weapons. The Commissioner of Police in the state has ordered a full scale investigation into the matter.”