By correspondent in Minna.
Gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have invaded, St. Peters’ Catholic Church, Gyedna and abducted a Catholic Priest, Fr. Paul Sanogo (M.Afr) and a Seminarian, Mahinini Dominis from their residence,all in Niger state.
Our correspondent gathered that Rev.Fr. Paul and Mahinini, until the time of his abduction from his residence,on Wednesday, was said to be a distance of about an hour drive from the town where pastoral workers were serving at St. Luke’s Catholic Church Gyedna, Minna Catholic Diocese.
Though the details of how the attack on the church remains sketchy, a source indicates that the Catholic Priest and the Seminarian were kidnapped at about 11p.m ,adding that efforts to contact them had proved abortive and the abductors were yet to contact the church.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the Police Command in the state,DSP Wasiu A. Abiodun confirmed the abduction.
Abiodun said: “On the 2/08/2023 at about 2330 hrs, suspected armed kidnappers stormed St. Peters Catholic Church at Gyedna village, Tafa Local Government Area and abducted one Rev. Fr. Paul Sanogo and a Seminarian, Mahinini Dominis”.
“Police tactical teams,led by the DPO, Tafa Division, were dispatched to the scene.
” However, the location of the church was discovered to be at the outskirt of the town which is about an hour drive from mountainous Sabon-Wuse”.
Wasiu said the location of the church is that of difficult terrain that shares common boundary between Niger and surrounded with mountains and forest, close to Kagarko area of Kaduna state which made it easy for the kidnappers to operate.
Meanwhile, other Seminarians therein have been advised to relocate temporary while investigation into the incident and possible rescue of the Fr. Paul and Seminarian Dominis, and apprehend the perpetrators of the crime is ongoing, the PPRO said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.