The Anambra State Police, Tuesday evening, reacted to news making the rounds that a yet-to-be-identified Catholic priest was kidnapped along Afor junction, Nnobi road.

The state police public relations officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a release made available to THE WHISTLER in Awka, described the report as ‘not true but a pure example of a sensational report’.

He said, “To set the record straight, the command operatives got information about an abandoned white Lexus jeep with reg. nos. GDD 882 PW. The officers got to the scene and recovered the vehicle.

“As they approached the police base, the owner of the vehicle came to the police station with proof of ownership, was identified and the vehicle was released to him. The victim claimed to have been abducted by yet unidentified men and was dispossessed of his personal belongings before his release.

“Investigation into the debriefing of the victim by operatives is still ongoing as the command wishes to state categorically that information gathered so far shows that he is not a clergyman or a priest.”

The media was awash earlier that a certain Catholic priest was abducted at Nnobi roundabout in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.

It was alleged that the abductee was driving Lexus FX 300 with plate number Anambra GDD 882 PW, and heading towards the Awka-Etiti direction when he was kidnapped.

“The victim stopped his car at the Nnobi junction to buy some fruits when he was double-crossed by another car whose occupants were armed to the teeth.

“The assailants forcefully bundled the man into their jeep, leaving the victim’s car on the road before driving off,” a source said.

The incident happened on Monday around 8:35pm.