Catholic Priest Killed, 17 Abducted as Bandits Attack Niger Communities

A Catholic priest of the Dio­cese of Minna, Rev. Fr. John Gbakaan Yaji, has been kid­napped and killed by suspect­ed armed bandits in Niger State, even as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the government to live up to its responsibilities of protecting the lives and property of citizens.

The incident was said to have occurred on Friday night in Tufa village, along the Lambata-Lapai road, when the assailants accosted him and his younger brother on their way back to Minna, after an engagement.

Late Rev. Fr. John was said to be on his way back to Minna from Lambata where he had attended a religious meeting, along with his team of priestly orderlies, but was kidnapped and his body later found dead.

The late Catholic priest was kidnapped alongside his younger brother, but our cor­respondent reliably gathered, as at the time of filing this report, that the whereabouts of the junior brother was yet unknown.

Spokesman of the Niger State Police Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, could not confirm the report as efforts to reach him proved abortive.

The Bishop of Catholic Diocese (Minna), Igwe Uzouk­wu, could also not be reached for comments as he was said to have travelled out of town for an engagement.
But a Catholic priest from the diocese confirmed the murder of Fr. John on condi­tion of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Chris­tian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, has described the abduction and killing of Rev. Fr. John Gbakaan Yaji as not only unfortunate but also very painful.

State CAN chairman, Revd. Mathias Echioda, in his reaction lamented: “The attacks are unfortunate and we should not base them as religious but let us all come to­gether to put an end to armed banditry.

“I know that if we come together sincerely and pray fervently, God who answers prayers will definitely hear and deliver us from the hands of the wicked.”

The CAN chairman ap­pealed to the government not to abandon the citizens to the mercy of blood-thirsty criminals who derive joy in shedding the blood of the in­nocent, harmless citizens.

Meanwhile, 17 people were over the weekend declared missing from three commu­nities, Marenje, Wongo, and Madagwa in Bassa-Kukoki ward, Shiroro Local Govern­ment Area of Niger State.

Five persons each were abducted from Marenje and Wongo communities while seven others, our correspon­dent learnt, were declared missing after the bandits stormed the villages at differ­ent times in the operations that lasted for hours on Sat­urday night.

Daily Independent also learnt that, last Thursday, no fewer than 20 people from Du­guru community in Madaka ward of Rafi Local Govern­ment Area were kidnapped while on their way to the weekly Madaka market by armed bandits.

Efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State com­mand, ASP Abiodun Wasiu, to confirm the renewed on­slaught by the armed bandits in the state, proved abortive as at the time of this report.

But the Co-convener of Concerned Shiroro Youths, Comrade Sani Abubakar Yusuf-Kokki, who confirmed the abductions in the affected communities, told journalists that the whereabouts of the victims were still unknown.

Comrade Sani Abubarkar, who described the abduction which has become almost a daily affair as disheartening and unfortunate, noted that “it is unfair that the state and Federal Government have abandoned locals to their fate”.

Yusuf-Kokki also lament­ed that the daily increase in kidnapping and other forms of criminalities in parts of the state, Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas in particular, had become the or­der of the day and therefore demanded the intervention of the government.
Source: independent.ng