ARMED bandits in the early hours of Saturday kidnapped a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Mikah Sho in Zamfara State.
Reverend Father Mikah Sho, the parish priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church Damba, Gusau, was abducted at the Father’s rectory located within the church premises
The spokesperson of Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, said Father Mikah was kidnapped around 3 am on Saturday at his residence in the Damba area of Gusau. He noted that the incident was not reported to the police but the Command has deployed a police tactical squad to the trail of the kidnappers and to ensure the Catholic priest’s safe return.
“Yes, the incident happened early hour of today (Saturda). The Reverend Father was kidnapped in his residence, we were not informed when the incident happened but what I gathered was that the man stays alone not in the church,” he said.
“We have deployed our tactical squad to go after the kidnappers with the aim of rescuing the victim unhurt.”
The acting Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto led by Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, Very. Revd. Fr. Nuhu Iliya, in a statement on Saturday, confirmed the abduction.
The Diocese expressed deep concern over the continuous abduction of priests across the country. It noted that the incident highlights the growing security challenges faced by religious communities and serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and enhanced security measures to protect the lives and well-being of not only religious leaders but Nigerians as a whole.
“With sadness in our hearts, we write to inform the general public of the kidnap of one of our priests, Revd. Fr. Mikah Suleiman. This sad event occurred in the early hours of today, Saturday, 22nd June 2024 in the Father’s rectory. Fr Mikah is the Parish Priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church, Damba, Gusau, Zamfara State,” the statement reads. “We invite all Christ’s faithful and all men and women of goodwill to earnestly pray for his quick and safe release.
“We equally commend him to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, for his speedy release from the hands of his abductors.”
St. Raymond Catholic Church Damba is about five Kilometers from Gusau, the Capital City of Zamfara state.
Residents of Damba Community have come under bandits’ attacks lately which led to the abduction of many and others fled the area to safer communities.
Eighteen-Eleven Media