The incident was made known by the Secretary, Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Raphael Opawoye.
Some terrorists have abducted the Catholic Parish Priest of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Sarkin Pawa, the Headquarters of Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, Very Rev Father Leo Raphael Ozigi.
The terrorists, who invaded the community on Sunday evening, also kidnapped 44 other villagers.
Daily Trust reports that Rev Father Ozigi was returning to Gwada from Sarkin Pawa when he ran into bandits operating on the Sarkin Pawa-Gwada Road who whisked him away alongside other villagers.
The incident was made known by the Secretary, Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Raphael Opawoye.
“Very Rev Dr Leo Raphael Ozigi was kidnapped on Sunday on his way back to Gwada from Sarkin Pawa after the Sunday Service,” he said.
The Secretary, Munya Local Government, James Jagaba, described the renewed banditry operations in the Munya Local Government Area since Saturday as pathetic.
He said; “The entire Munya Local Government Area is in disarray. The situation in the area is pathetic. There’s kidnap in all parts of the local government.”
Meanwhile, the 44 other villagers who were kidnapped had just returned to their communities from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps on Saturday, according to a resident in the area identified as Shehu Abubakar.
“The bandits moved freely on the road from Sarkin Pawa to Gwada unchallenged.
“We are worried because it seems our problem is yet to be over. People have just started returning on Saturday to prepare for yam plantation.
“Government encouraged us to go back to our communities that there was going to be security arrangements. People started returning on Saturday and these criminals invaded us again,” he said.
Abubakar lamented that bandits who have been operating unchallenged since Saturday moved freely on the Sarkin Pawa-Gwada Road with the herds of cattle they rustled during attacks on communities.