Where is this photo from? Catholic Diocese of Sokoto
Gunmen kidnap two Roman Catholic priests for northwestern Nigeria.
Two reverend fathers, plus two oda pipo dey wey live with them, na im dem capture, the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto told BBC Pidgin.
The abduction of the priests and visitors to the dia – a brother and a sister im – happened on Wednesday in the middle of the night, at the tok church.
The kidnapping happened for St Patrick’s Catholic Church, the local government of Karfur, Katsina State, under the Diocese of Sokoto.
The Diocese of Sokoto covers four different states in northwestern Nigeria including Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states.
Gunmen invade church house
“At midnight today, 25th May 2022, armed men entered the house of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Gidan Maikambo, Kafur LGA of Katsina State.
“They have kidnapped the parish priest and I am the assistant to Reverend Stephen Ojapa, MSP, and Oliver Okpara, as well as a boy and a girl for the house.”
Na so Rev. Fr Chris Omotosho, Director of Communications of the Diocese of Sokoto:
So far they never got any information about their whereabouts.
Where is this photo from? Radio Nigeria
Na Matthew Hassan Kukah is the current Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto.
Father Omotosho told BBC Pidgin the location where the kidnapping happened in a small village.
The young people of the village as well as security agents began to look for them. And I say they don’t report di mata to the police.
“They have security guards and young people to di…
“It’s a very rural environment or inland village, so they come out with their own guns as well.”
Police open an investigation
Tok tok pesin for Katsina police command SP Gambo Isah confirmed the kidnapping of two priests and two oda pipo wey happun.
The officer adds that the investigations are not beginning to get to the bottom of the situation.
Kidnapping in Nigeria
One of the most daunting threats to families inside Nigeria today is the frequent abduction of pipo, including dia class and boarding school children.
Over 1,000 students have not been abducted from dia schools since December 2020, many only released after payment of money which cost up to thousands of dollars.
Some of the kidnappers are commonly referred to as “bandits” in Nigeria.
They attack villages, kidnap civilians and burn houses.
The bandit attacks do not even force thousands of pipo to flee the dia houses and seek refuge in the oda neighborhoods of di kontri.
From north to south to west, east to north, thousands of pipo lives have been lost across Nigeria to kidnappings since 2012.
And the attacks continue. Hundreds of schools in the north of the country have been closed following kidnappings from schools in Zamfara State and Niger, including children as young as three years old.
By all indications, Nigeria’s lucrative kidnapping industry is booming – and expanding into previously safe areas.
And di mata don dey looks like, say, beyond the control of di kontri military and security forces.
E don poses a real threat to commerce and education, as well as di kontri farming communities.
