Armed gunmen attack Catholic parish in President Buhari's Katsina State and kidnap priests

ARMED gunmen have attacked St Patrick’s Catholic Church at Gidan Maikambo in Kafur Local Government Area of President Muhammadu Buhari's native Katsina State and abducted two priests among others.

In what is now a growing trend, the hoodlums broke into the rectory and whisked away two clergymen and two boys. Apparently, the parish is one of those presided over by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, as his area covers Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States.

Reverend Father Christopher Omotosho, the director of social communications of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, confirmed the development. He said the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto is under attack and no information has been gotten as to the whereabouts of the abductees.

 “As at midnight of today, 25th May, 2022, gunmen broke into the rectory of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Gidan Maikambo, in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State. The parish priest and his assistant Reverend Father Stephen Ojapa, MSP and Oliver Okpara and two boys in the house were kidnapped.

“For now, we have no information as to their whereabouts. Kindly pray for their safety and release,” Reverend Father Omotosho added.

On May 14, rampaging hoodlums torched and vandalised some parishes presided over by Bishop Kukah in Sokoto following his condemnation of the gruesome murder of Deborah Yakubu by her Muslim colleagues. They also burnt some parts of Bishop Kukah’s church buildings and set a bus ablaze on one of the premises.

These Sokoto riots have extended to some parts of Bauchi and Abuja over the last few days. Deborah Samuel, a student as Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto was stoned to death before set ablaze for allegedly blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed.