Bandits, in their large numbers have reportedly invaded the home village of outspoken Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Anchuna in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The bandits were said to have also abducted a Catholic priest, Rev Father Luka Yakusak, the priest in charge of St. Matthew Catholic Church in the village on Monday at about 8pm.
It was gathered that the bandits had invaded the same village, in the past where the traditional ruler of the Ikulu Chiefdom, who is Kukah’s brother, was abducted.
This was disclosed in a statement by the spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Binniyat, adding that the Catholic priest was kidnapped by bandits on Monday at his resident.
He said: “The siege on native communities in Zangon Kataf LGA, is assuming a new dimension with clergy targeted for murder or kidnapped for ransom.
“The kidnap of the Parish Priest of St Matthew’s Catholic Church, Anchuna village, the village home of the outspoken Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah yesterday(Monday)is one more crime that SOKAPU views with strong suspicion of more grim crime planed against our people. And we warned of dire consequences if this is not immediately check by the right authority.
“SOKAPU believes that the kidnapping of Fr. Yakusak yesterday in Anchuna, is to send send fears into the heart of the Kukah – erudite civil right champion and strong critic of the misrule of this government into silence. This coming after his junior brother, Agom Ikulu, Chief Yohanna Sidi Kukah, the traditional ruler of Ikulu land was kidnapped in December, 2017.”
The Kaduna State Government and the state police command is yet to issue any official statement on the abduction of the priest.
