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Tag: Catholic Priest

  • Gunmen kidnapp Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    Gunmen kidnapp Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    Gunmen have kidnapped a Catholic priest, Gabriel Ukeh, in the Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday.

    Ukeh is the presiding priest of St. Thomas Parish, Zaman Dabo Community, Zango Kataf LGA of Kaduna.

    While confirming the incident in a statement, the Vicar General (Pastoral), Emmanuel Kazah, condemned the incessant kidnappings for ransom of citizens in communities.

    The statement read in part: “While we solicit for fervent prayers for his urgent and safe release, we equally condemn this act of incessant kidnappings for ransom of innocent and defenceless citizens of our communities, and we call upon the government to horn its security intelligence as we approach the celebration of Sallah.

    “Through the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Priests and Religious, may Jesus the crucified hearken to our prayers and hasten the unconditional release of His Priest and every other abducted person.”

     

  • Lent: Priest tasks faithful on self-denial, prayer for nation

    Lent: Priest tasks faithful on self-denial, prayer for nation

    The Catholic Priest-in-Charge, Saints Peter and Paul Church, Tedi, Ojo, Lagos, Rev. Fr. Anthony Thompson, has urged the faithful to exhibit self-denial and charity and pray for the nation during the Lent season.

    Thompson spoke during a Mass celebrated in the church to mark Ash Wednesday as Nigerian Catholic faithful joined others across the world to celebrate the beginning of the season.

    The Mass offered a faithful opportunity for faith renewal in God.

    At Saint Peter and Paul, people came in early to take part in the 6.30 a.m. Mass and the administration of ash on the forehead.

    Speaking during the Mass, Thompson described the lent period as a public and regular fasting and prayer season used to ask God for the forgiveness of sin for the common good.

    He said that the ash administration on the forehead was a show of one’s commitment to the rules and observation of the period.

    “The act of self-denial is expected of you, especially during this time, as one of the observances that will earn you quality Christian character.

    “The quantity and quality of your food intake should be reduced to correspond to the season and build in your personal traits devoid of materialistic drive.

    “Savings made from a reduction in your excessive intake and luxurious lifestyle during this period should be donated to charity without making such almsgiving public.

    “This is the right time to pray for your country for God to grant its leaders grace to lead the people right.

    “Fast and pray for the development of society.

    “Atonement for one’s sin and that of others during this period draws the attention of heaven for forgiveness and blessings,” he said.

    The preacher said there were various benefits and rewards attached to the individual and community that participated in the yearly ritual.

    He said that the scriptures enjoined the faithful to cater for the poor in society.

    “This is the period to exhibit that directive more, to give them a sense of belonging,” he said.

    He noted the insecurity in the land and asked the faithful to make it a daily prayer point for God to wipe it out.

  • Gunmen Kidnap Catholic priest in Imo State

    Gunmen Kidnap Catholic priest in Imo State

    A Catholic priest identified as Rev Fr Kingsley Eze, in Umuekebi, Osuoweerre, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen at the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Findings show that the priest, who is in charge of St Michael’s Catholic Parish in Umuekebi, was kidnapped on Thursday night.

    It was gathered that the priest was  abducted alongside one other man identified as Uchenna Newman at Orieama Junction at about 8:00 pm.

    According to reports, the gunmen had robbed shop owners at the junction before leaving the scene with the victims to an unknown destination.

    The Imo state police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, is yet to comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

     

  • Gunmen abduct Catholic Priest in Taraba

    Gunmen abduct Catholic Priest in Taraba

    The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, Most Rev Mark Nzukwein, on Sunday confirmed the abduction of a priest of St Ann’s Parish in Sarkin Kudu, Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Communication Director of the Diocese, Rev.  Fr. John Jerome in Jalingo.

    He said the priest, Very Rev. Fr Thaddeus Tarhembe, was abducted by four armed men who invaded his rectory at about 2 a.m on Sunday.

    Nzukwein called on the public and all people of goodwill to pray for the safety and quick release of the priest by the abductors who are yet to make contact.

    Meanwhile, efforts to get reaction of the police to the incident was unsuccessful, as the spokesman of the Police Command in Taraba, SP Abdullahi Usman, did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him.

  • Again, gunmen invade church, abduct Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    Again, gunmen invade church, abduct Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    The parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Reverend Father Jeremiah Yakubu has been abducted by gunmen .

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the police authorities in Kaduna are yet to comment on the incident, the Chancellor of Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Reverend Father Emmanuel Okolo said in a statement that Father Yakubu was kidnapped from the parish rectory in Kauru LGA at about 11pm on Sunday.

    While calling for an intense prayer for the quick and safe release of the victim from his abductors, the chancellor also appeals to the parishioners to refrain from taking laws into their hands.

    He assured parishioners that the church will use all legitimate means to ensure the quick return of the kidnapped Reverend Father.

  • Guber 2023: Catholic priest, Alia in comfortable lead in Benue

    Guber 2023: Catholic priest, Alia in comfortable lead in Benue

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, is comfortably leading in the governorship race following results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    No fewer than 11 local government areas’ results have so far been released by the electoral commission.

    The Catholic priest is leading in eight local government areas by a wide margin while the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Titus Uba, is leading in three LGAs
    Below are the results from the INEC Collation Centre Makurdi:

    1. Apa LGA, 11RAs
    Accredited voters: 17,435
    APC: 7,925
    LP: 465
    PDP: 7,806
    Valid Votes: 6,520
    Rejected votes: 485
    Total voted cast: 17,005

    2. Gwer West, 15 RAs
    Reg Voters: 74,563
    Accre voters: 26,333
    Votes by parties
    APC: 10,947
    LP: 1,509
    PDP: 13,609
    Valid votes: 26,155
    Rejected Votes: 175
    Votes cast: 26,330

    3. Logo, 10RAs
    Reg Voters: 114,100
    Accre voters: 33,114
    Votes by parties
    APC: 15,574
    LP: 296
    PDP: 16,385
    Valid votes: 32,582
    Rejected Votes: 509
    Votes cast: 33,091

    4. Ado LGA, 10RAs
    No
    Reg Voters: 83,199
    Accre voters: 14,811
    Votes by parties
    APC: 8,662
    LP: 308
    PDP: 4,379
    Valid votes: 14,355
    Rejected Votes: 448
    Votes cast: 14803

    5. Gwer East LGA, 14 RAs
    Reg Voters: 99,851
    Accre voters: 34,111
    Votes by parties
    APC: 20,083
    LP: 1,272
    PDP: 12,085
    Valid votes: 33,601
    Rejected Votes: 283
    Votes cast: 33,924

    6. Agatu LGA, 10RAs
    Reg Voters: 64,315
    Accre voters: 18,407
    Votes by parties
    APC: 7,482
    LP: 216
    PDP: 9,934
    Valid votes: 17,943
    Rejected Votes: 464
    Votes cast: 18,407

    7. Obi LGA, 12 RAs
    Reg Voters: 69,126
    Accre voters: 17,759
    Votes by parties
    APC: 9,897
    LP: 1185
    PDP: 6,267
    Valid votes: 17,519
    Rejected Votes: 240
    Votes cast: 17,759

    8. Ukum, 13 RAs
    Reg Voters: 142,119
    Accre voters: 39,425
    Votes by parties
    APC: 28,503
    LP: 439
    PDP: 9,418
    Valid votes: 38,640
    Rejected Votes: 785
    Votes cast: 39,425

    9. Tarka LGA, 10RAs
    Reg Voters: 55,464
    Accre voters: 20,939
    Votes by parties
    APC: 16,422
    LP: 175
    PDP: 3,748
    Valid votes: 20,632
    Rejected Votes: 299
    Votes cast: 20,931

    10. Buruku LGA, 13 RAs
    Reg Voters: 129,696
    ACCRE Voters: 46,418
    Votes by parties
    APC: 34,713
    LP: 1,155
    PDP: 9,513
    Valid Votes: 45,937
    Rejected Votes: 470
    Votes cast: 46,407

    11. Katsina-Ala LGA, 12 RAs
    Reg Voters: 168,318
    Accre Voters: 42,189
    Votes by parties
    APC: 34,347
    LP: 178
    PDP: 6,716
    Valid Votes: 41,669
    Rejected Votes: 520
    Votes cast: 42,189

  • Bandits abduct Catholic priest, eight others in Kaduna state

    Bandits abduct Catholic priest, eight others in Kaduna state

    Eight persons including a Catholic priest, identified as Fr. Kunat have been abducted in different attacks in Kaduna state.

    The abduction was said to have taken place in Idon, Kajuru Local Government Area and Oil Village, and other suburb of Kaduna communities around the  refinery in the state.

    Reports say that the cleric’s residence at Idon was invaded at midnight on Monday and abducted him.

    Also, the attack on Oil Village allegedly occurred at about 7:45pm on Monday night, too.

    A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity but confirmed the incident in a telephone chat, said the bandits, numbering about 15, invaded the community.

    He said the bandits sneaked into the community and surrounded the residence of a widow, who had gone to buy something within the neighbourhood,  but noticed some strange movements as she returned home.

    Upon returning, the bandits descended on the poor woman and her children.

    According to the resident, another widow, who also lived  in the same compound, the widow ran into the hoodlums as she  returned home from a visit within the neighbourhood.

    He said, at gun point, the bandits ordered the widow  to show them homes of residents, who owned cars and were rich, saying nine people were abducted but one person later escaped and returned home on Tuesday morning.

    According to him, “The bandits came around 7:45pm on Monday  and surrounded the resident of a widow. They were about 15 and they were well-armed. The widow went out to buy something within the neighbourhood. As  soon as she entered her house, she noticed some strange movements.

    “Suddenly, the the kidnappers swooped on her and her three children in the house. Another widow, who also lives  in the same compound was  returning home from a visit within the neighbourhood with her daughter and ran into them in the house as they didn’t know what was going on.

    Two of the bandits quickly left with the other widow and four children. At gun point, the bandits asked the widow to take them round the houses of people, who have cars and are rich in the community. They went to the first house, there was nobody. On their way to the next house,  somebody, who was driving out of the community after dropping a friend, was attacked.

    “They opened fire at the car as he was driving out and the man stopped and he was picked. As they rushed at  the man,  the woman managed to escaped into hiding. After getting the man,  they entered  another house and picked a mother and her two grown up children. The sound of gunshots on the car was what raised the alarm in the community.

    “We ran into hiding. We call the Sabon Tasha Divisional Police Station, but the personnel came about two hours after the bandits had fled. Nine people were abducted, but one person escaped as they were crossing a river somewhere along Abuja road,” he added.

    Kaduna state has suffered series of attacks and kidnappings in recent times.

  • Buhari condemns murder of Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    Buhari condemns murder of Catholic Priest in Kaduna

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the murder of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr.  John Cheitnum of the Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, four days after he was abducted by gunmen.

    Reacting to the incident in a statement by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Wednesday, Buhari said:

    “I am deeply disturbed by the murder of this revered religious figure by outlaws who seem to be bent on creating chaos and disorder in the country.

    “The persistent attack on innocent people, including religious figures, by gunmen is a matter of grave concern for this administration, because security is one of the major issues of our campaign promises.

    “Let me reassure Nigerians that my commitment to this issue is as firm as ever. I have always made it a duty to regularly summon security chiefs to discuss these challenges and the way forward.

    “I’m not allowing the security chiefs to rest unless and until we find a very effective solution to this disturbing security situation.’’

    According to him, the security of all Nigerians remains his major priority.

    “I assure Nigerians that we are determined to crush these enemies of humanity with all the resources at our disposal,” he further declared.

    He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and Christian Association of Nigeria leadership in Kaduna State over the death of Cheitnum.

  • Gunmen release Abducted Kaduna Catholic Priest

    The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Kaduna State, has confirmed the release of Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Silas, barely 24 hours after he was abducted by unknown gunmen.
    Silas was kidnapped from the parish rectory at St. Charles Catholic Church in Zambina, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State in the early hours of Monday.
    In a statement, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, thanked everyone who offered prayers for the quick release of the priest.
    “With hearts filled with joy, we raise our voices in a symphony of praises as we announce the return of our brother, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Silas.
    “He was abducted by armed persons from the parish rectory at St. Charles Catholic Church, Zambina, in Kauru Local Government Area, in the early hours of Monday, July 4th 2022,” the statement read.

  • SLAIN: Tears as remains of Catholic priest Borogo is laid to rest

    It was tears among the Catholic faithful as the remains of a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, Reverend Father Vitus Borogo, was laid to rest in the state.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that Reverend Father Borogo was killed by bandits on Saturday in Chikun Local Government Area of the state, while his brother CY Borogo was kidnapped by the attackers.

     

    The victim until his murder was the Chaplain of the Catholic Community of the Kaduna State Polytechnic, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Kaduna State Chapter.

     

    According to Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, Nigerians have become prisoners in their own country due to persistent attacks and killings.

    Priest
    Reverend Father Vitus Borogo

     

    The priests of the Kaduna archdiocese led a peaceful protest after the funeral mass of the slain priest with some of them carrying placards with inscriptions like; ‘we are priest and not terrorists’, ‘government should secure Nigerians’, ‘anyone who kill lost his/her right to life’, ‘justice must be served’ , ‘do we still have a government’ and many others.

     

    In his remarks, Bishop Ndagoso said that, Nigerians are traumatised and at the stage of loosing hope, lamenting that some Nigerians have no reason to live again because of the way things are going on in the country.

     

    He said, “I feel devastated, it is so painful that within one year I have buried 3 priests who died in the hands of this bandits, the most painful one was late Fr. Aketeh whose burial took place last three weeks without his corpse.”

     

    “Over my 60 years of age we have not seen it this bad as it is now, even during the civil war it was not bad as it is now. Something is wrong with leadership of this country, we live in confusion in this country.

     

    “We no longer have tears in our eyes because the source of our tears have dried up because of constant crying. We have also lost our voices because when you talk nobody listens, you cry nobody hears your cry, but we will not loose hope, one day God will wipe our tears,” he said.

     

    Ndagoso advised that government should recruit young people who are willing to safeguard this country, adding that there are so many millions of young men who are willing to defend their land.

     

    He further said “any politician who can not secure Nigerians should not vying for any political position, it is better the person withdraw from the race.”

     

    On his part, the Vice Chairman of the Indigenous Priests of Kaduna, Rev. Fr Joseph Gandu called on the government to secure lives and property of Nigerians, maintaining that it is their social responsibility.