{
  "id": 14918681,
  "title": "Police confirm abduction of Catholic priest in Benue",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/police-confirm-abduction-of-catholic-priest-in-benue-14918681",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:30:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/police-confirm-abduction-of-catholic-priest-in-benue/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of Rev. Fr. John Otache, the parish priest of St. Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe-Awume, located in the Ohimini Local Government Area. DSP Aondogu Orchia, the Police Public Relations Officer, stated in Makurdi on Friday that a full investigation into the incident has commenced and efforts to rescue the priest are ongoing.\n\nAccording to a statement from the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, the priest was abducted on October 13. The Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Joseph Itodo, reported that Otache was traveling home from Otukpo when he encountered abductors along the Otobi Amejo-Ajegbe Road. The Bishop of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Apochi, expressed deep pain over the development, and the Diocese has called for prayers for the priest's safe and speedy release.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Police confirm abduction of Catholic priest in Benue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/police-confirm-abduction-of-catholic-priest-in-benue",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:24:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Trust",
        "title": "Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Benue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/gunmen-abduct-catholic-priest-in-benue",
        "published": "2026-10-16T09:50:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Police confirm kidnap of Catholic priest in Benue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/police-confirm-kidnap-of-catholic-priest-in-benue",
        "published": "2026-10-16T10:27:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Premium Times",
        "title": "Gunmen abduct Catholic priest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/gunmen-abduct-catholic-priest",
        "published": "2026-10-16T11:06:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}