An Italian, Reverend Father Luigi Brena, abducted along Ogunwenyi, Usen community in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, has been rescued.
The state’s Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Jennifer Iwegbu, confirmed this in a statement on Monday.
She said three of the suspected kidnappers were shot dead.
The police spokesperson revealed that the 64-year-old Italian priest was abducted on Sunday evening.
Gunmen had the previous day kidnapped two Catholic priests around Ehor and Iruekpen communities along the Benin-Auchi Expressway.
The abducted clergymen still in captivity include Reverend Father Udo Peter of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Uromi, and Reverend Father Philemon Oboh of St. Joseph Retreat Centre, Ugboha in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state.
Iwegbu said policemen attached to Iguobazuwa Division were alerted to the incident on Sunday and they immediately trailed the suspects to their camp.
The suspects were said to have opened fire on police operatives on sighting them.
But the policemen were said to have responded swiftly.
The police spokesperson said, “The superior firepower of the police operatives neutralised three of the kidnappers while the rest escaped into the forest with various degrees of gunshot injuries, abandoning their victim.
“The victim was immediately rushed to Igbinedion Teaching Hospital, Okada for medical attention. Meanwhile, intensive bush combing is ongoing with the aim of arresting the suspected kidnappers now on the run.”