Gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Malunfashi, Katsina State, Nigeria and killed a priest, Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Yashim Bello.
It was gathered that the bandits invaded the church parish around 11.00pm on Thursday, May 20, and started shooting in the air, leaving some people injured.
The late priest was said to have resisted abduction but the armed men overpowered him and whisked him away alongside an elderly priest, Rev Father Joe Keke.
The lifeless body of Fr. Alphonsus Bello was found abandoned in the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malunfashi on Friday morning.
Photo on the right is the elderly priest abducted in the attack
The Communications Director, Diocese of Sokoto, Fr Chris Omotosho, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday.
“Last night (20/05/2021) one of our parishes – St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Malunfashi, Katsina state – was attacked by unknown gunmen. 2 priests were kidnapped – *Frs Joe Keke & Alphonsus Bello*. Fr Joe Keke the former parish priest, now in residence is in his late 70s. Fr Alphonsus Bello (parish priest) is in his 30s,” the statement reads.
“This morning the body of Fr Alphonsus was found (lifeless) in the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malunfashi. The whereabouts of Fr. Joe Keke is still unknown. No contact has been made thus far.”