Onitsha, Nigeria — An Anglican priest, Venerable Emmanuel Ejianya, has been abducted by unknown gunmen in Anambra State.
A police source told Daily Champion that the clergyman was kidnapped last Sunday when his abductors trailed him from Eziowelle in Idemili North Council area to his official residence at Anglican Church, Ogidi in Idemili North Area Council of the state.
The incident is coming barely two weeks after his brother, Mr. Mike Ejianya, slumped and died while preaching on the pulpit. Mike is yet to be buried. It was gathered that Venerable Ejianya was returning from a one-day crusade organized by members of the Anglican community at Eziowelle late in the night when the unidentified hoodlums trailed him to his official residence and abducted him.
According to the source, the suspects surrounded cleric's residence, ransacked his rooms, and allegedly looted some of his household property before whisking him off to unknown destination.
As at the time of filing this report, his where about has not been established by either the Police or the Anglican Community in the State.
But another source told Daily Champion that the kidnappers have already got in contact with the wife who is said to be negotiating with them on the ransom to be paid before her husband could be released.
The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of N15 million from the victim's wife, but all efforts to get in touch with the wife proved abortive as she was said to have gone out when newsmen visited the residence.
The Archdeacon's official vehicle which was used in abducting him on the ill-fated night was said to have been found somewhere at Ogidi where the kidnappers abandoned it.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fidelis Agbo (SP) who confirmed the incident yesterday in a telephone chat with Daily Champion said the state police command is working round the clock to rescue the victim from the kidnappers.