Bandits kill Catholic Priest, abduct another in Katsina

 

Armed bandits have killed a Catholic Priest, Father Alphonsus Bello, while another priest, Father Joe Keke was kidnapped in an attack.

The incident occurred on Friday in Katsina State.

Father Bello, the Parish Priest of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, was found dead on Friday morning. On the other hand, his fellow priest, Father Keke was allegedly kidnapped by the bandits. The kidnapped cleric is a priest in residence. St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church is located in Malunfashi, Katsina State.

The development further points to the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria.

Equally important, the incident was confirmed by National Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Fr Mike Umoh. He revealed that Fr Bello’s lifeless body was found on a farmland behind the Catechetical Training School in Malumfashi.

Furthermore, he stated that Fr Bello’s tragic death comes after an earlier report at about 1:35 am; by the Dean of Malumfashi Deanery, Fr Stephen Ojapah, MSP; who pointed out that the parish house of St. Vincent Ferrer had been attacked by a group of about fifteen bandits.

The deceased Fr. Alphonsus Bello

The priests, Frs. Alphonsus Bello and Joe Keke were abducted by the group of bandits during the attack.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Fr Keke, 75, is still unknown; with the bandits yet to make contact.

In other news, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has expressed displeasure that some groups of individuals; using pseudo names, are negotiating the recovery of stolen Benin artworks on behalf of the throne.

The Oba made this known on Friday in his palace in Benin.

He made this known when Dr. Andreas Görgen, the Director General of the Directorate of Culture and Communications of the German Embassy in Nigeria, led a top German delegation on an assessment tour of Oba’s palace in Benin.

The Oba of Benin frowned at the development; noting that the palace would not fold its hands to see such abominable development take place. According to the Oba, prestigious Benin artefacts were largely looted from the Oba’s palace during the invasion of 1897 by British; as well as other foreign nations.

He stated that these artefacts should be returned to the original owner; even as he added that no third party must negotiate or receive the materials on behalf of the Benin kingdom.