Fr. Peter, a priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, In Anambra State, eastern Nigeria, Joseph Igweagu has been abducted.
Fr., the Archdiocesan Chancellor This was stated in a statement released by Prudentius E. Aroh on Sunday.
Fr. According to reports, Igweagu, the parish priest at St. Joseph’s Parish Abata Nsugbe in the Anambra East Local Government Area, was abducted on the evening of Wednesday, October 12, 2018.
After attending a Funeral Vigil Mass in Umunachi, in the Njikoka Council region of the state, he was on his way home when he was kidnapped.
In a statement titled “An urgent call for sincere prayers,” the Onitsha Archdiocese said: “It is with shock but strong faith in the love and protection of God that we announce to the Priests, religious, lay faithful, and all men and women of good will of Onitsha Archdiocese the abduction of our Priest Rev. Fr. Parish Priest Joseph Igweagu serves St. Joseph Parish in Abata Nsugbe.
The Archdiocese of Onitsha requests prayers for Frunconditional .’s release and assures that it is taking all necessary steps to do so. Igweagu.
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“We call on our Mother Mary, the Undoer of Knots, to intercede on his behalf so that he will be swiftly released unharmed,” the statement read. “While we pray for the conversion of his captors.”
Kidnappings
In some regions of Nigeria, it is common for citizens to be abducted, including clergymen.
Aid to the Church in Need reported that as of July, at least 18 priests had been abducted in Nigeria, including 5 in the first week of July alone. Since then, there have been a few more reports of abductions.
A large number of these people are abducted for ransom and released after being paid. However, some of the others are murdered by their captors.
According to Nigerian authorities, urgent action is being taken to ensure better protection of citizens’ lives and property.
