Niger police on the trail of Catholic priest’s killers, spokesman

The Niger State Police Command said it had deployed a reinforcement team to track down the suspected killers of a Catholic priest, Very Rev. Fr. Issac Achi, of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, in the Paikoro Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

This is contained in a statement on Sunday issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Wasiu Abiodun.

Bandits had invaded the parish residence of Rev Achi on Sunday, burnt the residence, with the priest inside.

“Unfortunately, the bandits reportedly attempted to gain entrance into the residence, but seemed difficult and set the house ablaze, while the said Rev. Father was burned to death.

“A colleague of the Rev. Father, identified as Father Collins, was equally shot in the shoulder while trying to escape from the scene.

“The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Ogundele Ayodeji, had dispatched a reinforcement team to the area and effort is ongoing to apprehend the assailants as investigation into the unfortunate attack has commenced,” the police said.

The statement added that the police tactical teams attached to Kaffin-Koro Division were immediately drafted to the scene, but the bandits had escaped before the arrival of the teams.

Abiodun said the body of the late priest was recovered while Father Collins was taken to hospital for treatment.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, led by Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, has also condemned the dastardly act in a statement.

CAN called on the three tiers of government to do more in securing lives and property in the state and urged the authorities to apprehend the suspected killers.