How Police Rescued Catholic Priest From Kidnappers’ Den, One Killed, Kingpin Escapes

After several days in kidnappers' den, a Catholic priest, Reverend
Father Philip Ojimanu, was over the weekend rescued from his abductors
after fierce gun battle with men of the Imo State Police Command.

According to Trumpeta reports, the police shot dead one of the
kidnapers, while the ring leader known as 'Bush' escaped through the
back door. The five-man kidnapping gang abducted Fr. Philip Ojimanu of
the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri at Uzoagba in Ikeduru Local
Government Area of the state while inside his private car.

However, the kidnappers whose hide-out in Orodo, Mbaitolu Local
Government Council Area of Imo State, was later detected were tracked
by the police to a hotel in Aba, Abia State, where they had arranged
to collect the ransom from the priest's family.

While parading the suspects, Obinna Mba from Orodo in MbaItolu Local
Government Area of the state, Ibewuchi Uzo (shot dead), Celestine Emma
Chukwuma from Orsu Local Government and Frank Uche at the Command
Headquarters in Owerri yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr.
Andrew Enwerem, said the suspects abducted Rev. Fr. Ejimadu from
Uzoagba in Ikeduru Council Area while in his Nissan Jeep Car.

Enwerem further revealed that the suspects, who had established
contacts with the supposed family members of the priest for payment of
ransom, were trailed by anti- kidnapping squad of the state police
command to a hotel called "Locals" in Aba, Abia State, where two of
them were arrested.

According to him, the two arrested kidnappers later took the police to
their hide-out in Orodo, Mbaitoli council area of Imo State. The PPRO
said on sighting the anti-kidnapping squad in Orodo the suspects
engaged the police in a shoot-out, adding that in the ensuing gun
duel, one of the suspects, Ibewuchi Uzo, was shot dead, while another
gang member Celestine Emma Chukwuma was seriously wounded, adding that
the leader of the gang identified as 'Bush' escaped.

He disclosed that the police also recovered a Nissan car belonging to
the abducted priest Fr. Philip Ojimanu from the suspects. However, one
of the suspects, Celestine Emma Chukwuma, denied being a member of the
gang and never negotiated for payment of ransom before the priest
would be released, as alleged by the police.

"I was contracted by leader of the group to do a pillar work at his
house and I only decided to run when I saw the police because if I am
arrested I don't have the money to bail myself," he said.
—Trumpeta