BEVERLY HILLS, May 21, (THEWILL) – Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Thursday attacked the St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Malunfashi, in Katsina State, and abducted two priests, Reverend Fr. Alphonsus Bello and Rev. Fr. Joe Keke.
THEWILL learnt that the gunmen stormed the Church on Thursday night and started shooting sporadically into the air, leaving some persons injured.
A statement on Friday by the Communications Director, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Fr. Chris Omotosho, said the bandits killed and dumped the body of Fr. Alphonsus Bello in the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malunfashi while the whereabouts of Fr. Joe Keke remained unknown.
The statement reads: “Last night, one of the parishes of the Sokoto Diocese –St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church Malunfashi, in Katsina State was attacked by unknown gunmen.
“Two priests were kidnapped, Frs. Joe Keke and Alphonsus Bello. Fr. Keke, the former parish priest, is in his late 70s while Fr. Bello, the current parish priest, is in his 30s.
“This morning (Friday) the body of Fr. Alphonsus Bello was found lifeless in the farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malunfashi.
“However, the whereabouts of Fr. Joe Keke is still unknown. No contact has been made thus far.”
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