Again, terrorists in Kaduna State have taken a Catholic priest and ten other people hostage. They also killed three people in an attack on the Karku hamlet in the Kauru Local Government Area.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan stated that Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, was kidnapped together with the other victims early yesterday morning.
The Very Reverend Father Jacob Shanet, the Diocesan Chancellor, said in a statement that he was very sad about what happened and asked people to pray for the victims.
“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with great sadness, we announce the kidnapping of our priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku, Kauru LGA of Kaduna State,” he added.
Shanet says that the attackers broke into the priest’s house around 3:20 a.m., and villagers called the raid an invasion by armed terrorists.
“Fr. Nathaniel was taken hostage with eleven other people at Karku. Three people, Mr. Jacob Dan’azumi, Mr. Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari, have died as a result of the incident, in addition to others who were kidnapped, he said.
The diocese asked priests, Christians, and people of goodwill to pray for the safe return of the kidnapped victims and for those who died in the attack.
Shanet said, “The whole Diocese of Kafanchan asks the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for their quick and safe release from the hands of these bad people.”
The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Joseph Hayab, said that the event was upsetting and that kidnappings are getting worse even though people are trying to stop them.
“This is a tragic situation; there are too many kidnappings. “Sadly, the kidnapping of Christian priests and other citizens has not stopped,” he said.
Hayab, on the other hand, hoped that the victims would come back safely and asked security services to do more to stop the rising number of kidnappings and murders.
“We are still hopeful and are praying with the Catholic Church and the parish of the kidnapped priest. We are also calling on security agents to take strong action to stop this growing incident,” he said.
DSP Mansir Hassan, the Public Relations Officer for the Kaduna State Police, had not yet answered questions about the incident.
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