Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest in Bishop Kukah’s Village

By John Shiklam

Gunmen Monday night stormed Bishop Matthew Kukah’s Anchuna village in Ikulu Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State abducting the Catholic priest in the community.

Sources said the bandits came to the community at about 8pm and whisked away Rev. Fr. Luka Yakusak who is in charge of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Anchuna.

The bandits were said to have shot sporadically before heading to the official residence of the priest.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammad Jalige, could not be reached when contacted as his mobile telephone was switched off.

However, the spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Binniyat, confirmed the incident, saying the Catholic priest was abducted at his residence at about 8pm on Monday.

He said the persistent attacks and killings in Southern Kaduna communities, especially in Zangon Kataf LGA, and the seeming inability of security agencies to stop the attacks has rendered the people helpless.

“Yes, I can confirm that a Catholic priest in Achuna, Bishop Kukah’s village was abducted on Monday at about 8pm.

“This is not the first time gunmen are attacking the community. You recall that some years back, the traditional ruler of Ikulu Chiefdom who is Bishop Kukah’s brother was abducted,” Binniyat said.

According to him, “These persistent attacks and killings in the Southern Kaduna communities, especially in Zangon Kataf LGA, and the seeming inability of security agencies to stop the attacks has made our people helpless.”

The abduction of the priest came less than 24 hours after 12 people, mainly women and children were killed on Sunday in an attack on Apiyejim village, Atyap Chiefdom, also in Zango-Kataf LGA.

Also on Saturday, Rev. Silas Ali, a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Kibori, was killed by unknown assailants on his way from Kafanchan back home.