By Muhammadu Sabiu
Gunmen believed to be bandits launched a devastating attack on Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The assailants set fire to the parish house, resulting in the tragic death of a seminarian.
The police authorities and the Catholic Church in Kaduna State have yet to issue official statements regarding the incident.
However, an eyewitness account provided to Channels Television shed light on the horrifying attack.
The bandits, numbering in large groups, descended upon the Saint Raphael parish, located in Fadan Kamantan, Kafanchan Diocese, under the cover of darkness on Thursday night.
In a cruel act, they set the parish house ablaze, incinerating the building and a vehicle parked within its premises. Tragically, Seminarian Stephen Danlami lost his life during the attack. Reports suggest that he succumbed to smoke inhalation while attempting to escape from the inferno.
Fortunately, other priests who were inside the parish house at the time managed to escape the onslaught. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving many in grief and disbelief.
As the authorities and the church grapple with the aftermath, there is an urgent need for comprehensive investigations into this heinous act and the apprehension of the perpetrators to ensure justice prevails.
The motive behind this attack remains unclear, but it serves as a stark reminder of the security challenges faced by various communities in Kaduna State and the need for concerted efforts to address them.
The Catholic Church, along with government authorities, must work together to protect places of worship and the lives of the faithful. As the nation mourns the loss of Seminarian Stephen Danlami and grapples with the brazen act of violence, the people of Kaduna State, as well as Nigeria as a whole, are calling for swift action to bring those responsible to justice and to prevent such tragic incidents from happening in the future.