Bandits have burnt a Catholic priest of Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Reverend Father Isaac Achi, to death in the Kafin Koro Community in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.
REPORTERS AT LARGE gathered that the bandits invaded the community at about 1:00 a.m. on Sunday and began shooting indiscriminately. It was reported that the bandits burnt the building with Achi in it when they couldn’t gain access.
The Force Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, DSP W. A Abiodun, confirmed the tragic incident in a statement that was made available to pressmen.
Narrating, Abiodun said that the bandits attempted to gain entrance into the residence at about 3 am, but faced difficulties and eventually resorted to setting the house ablaze, while the said Rev. Father was still in it.
According to DSP Abiodun, a colleague of the Rev. Father identified as Father Collins was equally shot in the shoulder while trying to escape from the scene.
He also disclosed that tactical teams attached to Kaffin-Koro Div were immediately dispatched to the scene, but the insurgents escaped before the arrival of the teams.
However, the lifeless body of Father Isaac was recovered while Father Collins was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele Ayodeji had dispatched a reinforcement team to the area and effort is ongoing to apprehend the assailants as an investigation into the unfortunate attack has commenced.