Reverend Father John Ubaechu, the parish priest of Holy Family Catholic Church in Izombe, Imo State, was on his way to an annual retreat when he was kidnapped on Sunday evening.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri said he was kidnapped along Ejemekwuru Road in Oguta Local Government Area.

“We invite all Christ’s faithful and all men and women of goodwill to earnestly pray for the quick and safe release of our Priest,” the archdiocese said while announcing the incident on Monday.

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FIJ found that Mathias Opara, another Catholic priest, was kidnapped on the same route on May 26, 2023. Father Opara was returning from a funeral at Izombe when he was kidnapped along the Ejemekwuru-Ogbaku road.

He regained freedom on the night of May 28.

Before this recent kidnapping, at least two other Catholic priests had been kidnapped in March alone.

March 3 saw the kidnapping of Reverend Father Peter Ekweli and Seminarian Peter Andrew in Edo State. Both men were kidnapped at Saint Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa Community, Etsako East LGA.

Although Father Ekweli regained freedom on March 13, ten days later, the seminarian did not return alive. The kidnappers killed him.

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Father Sylvester Okechukwu of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Tachiri, Kaduna State, who was kidnapped on March 4, was found dead.

His lifeless body was found in the early hours of March 5, and it is believed that he was killed by suspected armed bandits in the area.