Kaduna: Gunmen Attack, Kidnap Another Catholic Priest

The residence of another Catholic priest was reportedly ransacked by unknown gunmen who reportedly invaded Chawai Chiefdom of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State last night on attempt to kidnap Reverend Fr. Joseph Shekari but met his absence.

AN24.net understands that the target was abducted in similar circumstances in February 2022 but was released after a ransom was paid.

Shekari was said to have travelled out of the village when the gunmen arrived. However, the assailants reportedly abducted the Catechist of St. Monica Catholic Church, Ikulu-Pari, Kefas Ishaya, upon meeting Shekari’s absence.

Recall that the parish had held its annual Thanksgiving Service last Sunday, and members of the church suspect the abductors were targeting the money recovered from the programme, having succeeded in carting away what was generated in February 2022 in a similar attack.

Confirming the attack to reporters, Sunday Bage, the Chairman of Ikulu Zone of the parish, said the gunmen arrived in the area around 9:30 PM last night (Thursday).

“Thank God Father (Reverend) travelled. They didn’t get him, but they picked our Catechist. They dragged the Catechist to the bush. They took him with his phone. We have been calling the line but it keeps ringing out,” The PUNCH quoted Bage saying.

According to him, the terror group were many and kept shooting sporadically, moving through the Church, the school and the priest’s residence in search of the Rev Father.

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Some residents who also confirmed the attack to the news platform explained that the gunmen broke into the priest’s residence after scaling through the fence and forced their way into his house with stones and bullets to break the entrance.

“Immediately they broke into the house, they searched and ransacked everywhere. They checked under the beds, wardrobes, bathrooms and kitchen.

“They even checked the ceiling, but Father had travelled. So, they did not get him. In anger, they took our Catechist. As we speak, he is with them in the bush.

“It is a very sad situation. This is devastating. They dragged Catechist on the ground like a dog,” a woman who spoke on anonymity told journalists.

She recalled that it was not long ago that Fr Shekari was abducted and rescued after a huge ransom was paid.

“They came again to take him. Luckily, he wasn’t in. This is really a dark period for us,” he said.

Naija News reports that the latest attack is coming a few days after suspected terrorists burnt to death a Catholic Church Priest identified as Rev Father Isaac Achi in Kafin-koro in the Paikoro local government area of Niger.

Father Achi, who was the Priest of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church in the area, was burnt to death in the Church’s parish house around 3 am on Sunday morning.

Information gathered by this platform reveals that the suspected terrorists razed the catholic parish house after failed attempts of gaining entrance to the house.

It was also learnt that Father Achi’s Father, Collins, who was trying to escape from the scene, was shot in the shoulder.