Angry youths reportedly caught two of the suspected killers of Edo Catholic priest, Reverend Father Christopher Idia, and allegedly set one ablaze.
The late priest was killed hours after he was kidnapped by suspected herdsmen in his rectory at Ikabigbo community of Etsako West, Edo State, on Sunday morning, June 26.
Facebook user, Jim Edison Teddy, who also shared graphic video of the moment the priest was found dead, said the other suspect was rescued from the angry youths by policemen.
“Two of the killers of Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia of St Micheal Catholic Church, Ikabigbo, were apprehended by community who were on the trail of the kidnappers,” he narrated.
“The Fulani terrorists opened fire on their pusuers, killed one of them and seriously injured 3 others. The kidnappers also gunned down the Reverend Father in anger.
“The youths wouldn’t give up even with the casualties on their side until they arrested two of the gang members. One of the terrorists was burnt to death and the other retrieved from the angry youths by policemen.”
Meanwhile, a leader of the community who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons, told Vanguard that one vigilante member was killed by the kidnappers.
“Our boys pursued the kidnappers into the bush and they killed one of our boys but the mass servant who was shot is in Otibhor (ISTH) right now and he just came out of the theater and he survived it, it was the vigilante that died,” he said.
“Our boys went after them and were able to arrest one of the kidnappers who has confessed to the crime and he is presently at the Area Command of the Police in Auchi. After the incident, our boys surrounded the area and they started shooting anybody, they even shot a woman that was coming from the farm after they killed the vigilante member, they shot so many people. Everybody in our village is a warrior, when they killed the vigilante, the people mobilized and started pursuing the kidnappers with their bare hands.”
