By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Information reaching our Correspondent Desk has it that a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Stephen Echezona, who was kidnapped at a fuel station in Ichida, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been rescued in Ihiala, Ihiala Local Government Area of the State, following a coordinated security operation.
According to a statement by the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the rescue operation was carried out in the early hours of March 23, 2025, by a joint security team comprising the police, military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and vigilante groups from Ichida and Ihiala.
The Police Spokesman revealed that the priest was abducted at a fuel station at Ichida by armed criminals operating in a white Lexus SUV without a plate number. He added that the security operatives, upon receiving reports of the incident, engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, forcing them to abandon the vehicle and escape with the victim.
According to him, the security forces further alerted various checkpoints across the state, leading to a manhunt for the fleeing suspects. He noted that the heightened security pressure forced the kidnappers to release the priest in Ihiala before fleeing into a nearby forest.
“The Joint Security Team have taken over the scene in Ihiala for possible arrest of the armed criminals and recovery of the Toyota Highlander belonging to the Rev. Father,” he concluded.
