Catholic Priest shot dead, another abducted as bandits raid Katsina church

Gunmen on Thursday night killed a Catholic priest, Rev Father Alphonsus Bello at the Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Malunfashi, Katsina State.

After killing Bello, they abducted another priest, Rev. Fr. Joe Keke.

Findings revealed the gunmen stormed the Catholic parish and started shooting into the air, injuring some people in the process.

Confirming the incident, the National Social Communications Director, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Umoh, said the suspected bandits dumped the lifeless body of Father Alphonsus Bello in the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malunfashi while the whereabouts of Fr. Joe Keke were still unknown.

According to The Nation, he said, “Last night, one of the parishes of the Sokoto Diocese – St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Malunfashi, in Katsina state – was attacked by unknown gunmen. Two priests were kidnapped, Frs. Joe Keke and Alphonsus Bello. Fr Keke, the former parish priest, is in his late 70s while Fr. Bello, the current parish priest, is in his 30s.

The lifeless body of Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Bello was found this morning, Friday May 21, 2021, on the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malumfashi in Katsina State, which is part of Sokoto diocese under Bishop Matthew Kukah.

However, the whereabouts of Fr. Joe Keke is still unknown. No contact has been made thus far.”