{
  "id": 14925739,
  "title": "Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Benue",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/gunmen-abduct-catholic-priest-in-benue",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:50:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/gunmen-abduct-catholic-priest-in-benue-3/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Benue State, a Catholic priest named Reverend Father John Inalegwu Otache was kidnapped by armed men. The incident occurred along the Otobi Amejo-Ajegbe road in Ohimini Local Government Area. Otache, the Parish Priest of St. Margaret's Parish in Ajegbe-Awume, was abducted while returning from Otukpo on Tuesday. The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo confirmed the kidnapping in a statement released on Friday, signed by the Diocesan Chancellor, Reverend Father Joseph Aboyi Itodo. In the statement, Bishop Michael Ekwoyi Apochi expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and appealed to Christians and people of goodwill to pray for the priest's safe and speedy release. Efforts to rescue Otache are being intensified, as this marks the second time a priest from St. Margaret's Parish has been kidnapped. However, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, stated that the police are still investigating the incident and that Otache has not been rescued yet.",
  "summary": "A Catholic priest, Reverend Father John Inalegwu Otache, has been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen along the Otobi Amejo-Ajegbe road in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. Otache, the Parish Priest of St. Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe-Awume, was said to have been abducted on Tuesday while returning from Otukpo. The Catholic Diocese of Otukpo confirmed the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "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 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."
}