Protesting Thugs Attack, Burn Down Bishop Kukah’s Catholic Church In Sokoto

Protesters and thugs have burnt down the Catholic Diocese in Sokoto headed by Bishop Mathew Kukah.

St Bakhit, which serves as the secretariat of the diocese, was set alight amid demonstrations for the release of Deborah Samuel’s murder suspects, according to pictures and videos shared online.

The videos seen online by infoexpert24 showed that the church along Aliyu Jodi Road was the same building claimed to have been burnt by rampaging thugs.

It was unclear if the church was targeted for arson because of Bishop Kukah’s statement condemning Deborah Samuel’s gruesome murder or if it was a random hit by the thugs.

Infoexpert24 gathered that Bishop Kukah said he was on his way out of Sokoto at the time of filing this report.

A spokesman for the police in Sokoto did not immediately comment on the destruction of St Bakhita. The police fired teargas to disperse protesters from breaking into the church earlier in the day, but the attackers regrouped after the police vans left the neighborhood, witnesses said.

Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Tambuwal has imposed a curfew over Sokoto to curb further spread of violence amid a mob rampage for the release of Ms. Samuel’s murder suspects.

Ms. Samuel, a 200-level home economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, was killed at about 9:00 a.m. Thursday for allegedly criticizing Prophet Muhammad.

Her killing has sparked nationwide outrage, with political and religious leaders demanding urgent arrest and prosecution of all suspects.