Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, in Nigeria, Rev. Matthew Hassan-Kukah, has suspended all Masses in Sokoto metropolis.
This was contained in a statement on Saturday signed by the Director, Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Fr. Christopher Omotosho.
The Rev. Fr. noted that Kukah’s residence was not attacked, though rampaging hoodlums vandalised and torched two of the parishes presided over by the fiery preacher.
The statement was titled, ‘Current Development In Sokoto’, reads: “The Sokoto State Government has declared 24-hour curfew to help stem the ongoing protests embarked upon by Muslim youth in the state capital today.
“During the protest, groups of youths led by some adults in the background attacked the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral at Bello Way, destroying church glass windows, those of the Bishop Lawton Secretariat were also attacked and a community bus parked within the premises vandalised.
“St. Kevin’s Catholic Church Gidan Dere, Eastern By-pass, was also attacked and partly burnt; windows of the new hospital complex under construction, in the same premises were shattered.
“They were promptly dispersed by a team of Mobile policemen before they could do further damage.
“The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre located along Aliyu Jodi Road and burnt down a bus within the premises.”
Recall that Kukah had described as criminal, the gruesome murder of Deborah Yakubu, a 200-level Home Economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Nigeria.