Early on Wednesday, Gunmen were said to have broken into one of the parishes led by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan-Kukah. It was said that the armed men kidnapped two priests and two others in the rectory of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Gidan Maikambo, in the Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State. Kukah’s Sokoto Diocese covers Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States.
Rev. Fr Christopher Omotosho, the Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, confirmed the news with Punch on Wednesday morning.
Omotosho said, “As at midnight of today, 25th May, 2022, gunmen broke into the rectory of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Gidan Maikambo, Kafur LGA of Katsina State.
“The parish priest and his assistant Rev. Frs. Stephen Ojapa, MSP, and Oliver Okpara and two boys in the house were kidnapped.
“No information as to their whereabouts. Kindly pray for their safety and release.”
When contacted, the spokesman for Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, said, “Let me find out.”
On May 14, some hoodlums vandalized some parishes led by Kukah in Sokoto following his condemnation of the gruesome murder of Deborah Yakubu by her Muslim colleagues.
The rioters also burnt some parts of Kukah’s church buildings and set a bus ablaze on one of the premises.
