Catholic Priest Dies Four Days After Escaping From Kidnappers

The Chaplain of the Seat of Wisdom Catholic Chaplaincy of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State, Very Rev. Fr. Dr Louis Odudu, who recently escaped from a kidnappers’ den, is dead.

Odudu died on Wednesday, four days after he escaped from his abductors’ den.

Although, the immediate cause of his death could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the incident was not unconnected with his abduction.

The Director of Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Warri, Rev. Fr. Dr Benedict Ukutegbe, confirmed the demise of the priest to Punch.

Ukutegbe, who failed to give details on the cause of death, told newsmen that “He (Odudu) was pronounced dead at a private hospital in Warri, hours after he reportedly complained of pains and demanded to be taken to a hospital.”

Odudu, who was ordained priest of the Catholic Diocese of Warri in 1987, had reportedly been in the United Kingdom for years.

He was said to have returned to the country about five months ago when he was abducted.

The deceased was a former Assistant Secretary-General at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.

The news of the death reportedly threw the Catholic community in Delta into mourning, as worshippers discussed the incident in clusters after mass on Thursday.

Catholic priests in the state have been under attack by some hoodlums in recent times, as no fewer than five priests had been abducted in 2018 alone.