By John Shiklam
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Dawah, his cook, the Catechist’s wife and unspecified number of people have reportedly been abducted by bandits in Kushe Makaranta village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The abductions came barely four days after eight members of the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), were kidnapped by gunmen on Friday last week, along the Kaduna- Kachia road.
The incident was said to have occurred at about 2am on Tuesday when the hoodlums invaded the community.
Kaduna state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayap, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview said, “Reverend Father Dawah was kidnapped in the early hours of the day (Tuesday), around 2am, along with his cook, the Catechist’s wife and some other people around”
Hayap said another incident of kidnapping had occurred on Sunday in Kachia adding that
“the Catholic Church in Kachia will come up with details.”
Speaking further, Hayab said the abducted Catholic priest “was supposed to have come to Kaduna town, from Kagarko , but he said he has a mass this morning and promised to come after the mass.
“That mass could not be conducted as he was Kidnapped.”
Hayab added that the clergyman was “still with the bandits now, and they have not called back to give details of the whereabout of the Priest and others who were Kidnaped”.
Spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, Muhammad Jalige did not respond to telephone calls when contacted.
Cases of attacks and abductions by rampaging bandits have become a daily occurrence in the state.
The 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry, Afaka, Kaduna, who were abducted in the school by gunmen on March 11, 2021, are still in captivity at the time of this report.
