Ebonyi police rescue abducted cleric, arrest suspected cultist

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Nigeria Police

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By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki

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Operatives of the Ebonyi State Police Command have rescued a Methodist cleric, Rev. Ede Sunday, who was abducted in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.

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The command also said it arrested a suspected cultist and recovered a locally made Beretta pistol loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in a separate operation in Abakaliki.

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The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

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According to him, Rev. Ede was abducted on September 9, 2026, after two armed men allegedly intercepted his vehicle in front of his church at Ndulo Amofia, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, forced him out and whisked him away on a motorcycle.

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Ukandu said the command received a distress call and immediately mobilised operatives to pursue the suspects.

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He said the abductors abandoned the cleric as the police closed in on them, adding that Ede was rescued at St. James Secondary School, Amofia.

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The cleric’s vehicle was also recovered, while he had since been reunited with his family.

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The PPRO said efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

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In a separate operation, Ukandu said police operatives disrupted a suspected cult meeting around a bakery in the Kpirikpiri area of Mile 50, Abakaliki, following credible intelligence.

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He said the operation took place at about 11:52 p.m. on September 7.

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According to him, the suspects fled upon sighting the police, while one of them abandoned a bag at the scene.

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“A search of the abandoned bag led to the recovery of one locally made Beretta pistol loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition, as well as a mobile phone belonging to a victim who had been robbed earlier that night,” he said.

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Ukandu said one suspect, identified as Oshim Chisom, was arrested at the scene and was assisting the police with their investigation.

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He added that efforts had been intensified to identify and apprehend other suspects who fled the scene.

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The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the operatives for what she described as their prompt response, courage and professionalism.

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Okafor reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that criminals had no safe haven in the state.

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She urged residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with timely and credible information to support efforts to prevent and combat crime.

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