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The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the death of a seminarian, Peter Andrew, who was kidnapped on March 3 alongside Rev. Fr. Peter Ekweli.
Andrew was with St. Peter Catholic Church in Ivukwa Community, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State before he was abducted along with Ekweli.
On March 8, the kidnappers settled for a N10m ransom for the victims after initially demanding N100m.
However, a viral video on Thursday showed a kidnap victim, surrounded by uniformed men believed to be vigilantes, claiming that he was kidnapped and held in the same location with the priest and seminarian.
He said they were all forced to close their eyes, and in the process, they heard a gunshot. When they opened their eyes, they saw the seminarian battling for his life before he died.
According to the victim, they all trekked to a location in Edo Central, from where he escaped.
However, the police said it rescued the reverend father on Thursday.
The spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, confirmed the seminarian’s death on Friday.
In a statement shared with Saturday PUNCH, Yamu said police operatives were combing the bush to recover the corpse and arrest the kidnappers.
The statement read, “Further to the kidnap of Rev. Father Philip Ekeli and Seminarian Peter Andrew at St. Peter Catholic Church, Iviukha, Etsako East LGA on 03/03/2025, intensive search and rescue operations by police operatives and vigilante members led to the release of the reverend father on 13/03/2025 at about 16:52 hrs in Amughe Community.
“Bush combing continues with a view to recovering the remains of the seminarian, who regrettably lost his life in the process, as well as to arrest the remaining gang members of the kidnappers.
“Recall that one suspect was neutralised, and four suspects—Murtala Ibrahim, 32; Joshua Joseph, 31; Sadiq Sheidu, 35; and Sunday Bulus, 28—were arrested on the day of the kidnap.”
A source close to the Catholic Church said Ekweli is recuperating at an undisclosed hospital.
