Rev. Fr. Mathias Opara, a second Catholic priest in Imo State, was taken hostage by unidentified gunmen along the Ejemekwuru/Ogbaku Road.Tension in the neighbourhood has been created by his disappearance.
According to an eyewitness, the priest, identified as Owu Ujo, who officiated at the burial services for the father of one of his coworkers at the Izombo community in the Oguta LGA, was delayed on the way back to Owerri, the state’s capital.
The victim is the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri’s Man of Order and Discipline, an eyewitness reported Rev. Fr. Mathias Opara, popularly known as Owu Ujo, was kidnapped along the Ejemekwuru/Ogbaku Road alongside others who were in the same vehicle, according to a community source who sought anonymity.
“The occurrence happened right in front of us. We were also traveling back to Owerri after the funeral ceremonies for another Catholic priest’s father in Izombo, Imo State’s Oguta Local Government Area”, the source added.
The Owerri Catholic Archdiocese’s Director of Public Communications, Rev. Fr. Raymond Ogu, verified the development when reached.
According to our source, Jude Maduka, the Catholic priest in charge of the Christ the King Catholic Church at Ezinachi/Ugwuago in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state, was abducted just last week.
The Catholic priest in charge of St. Paul’s church in Osu, in the Isiala Mbano LGA, Rev. Fr. Michael Asomugha, was also kidnapped.
