Gunmen burned alive a Catholic priest and fired on his colleague, as a result injuring him, in northwest Nigeria on Sunday, said the police, raising doubts on the security ahead of an election next month.
The presidential elections will be held next month on February 25, however, crimes like kidnappings and killings have increased fears that the polls might not be held or disrupted in many areas.
The objective behind the latest attack has not been revealed yet but previous incidents of priests being targeted in a similar way in the majority Muslim north have frequently taken place.
Wasiu Abiodun, spokesperson for Niger state police, stated in his statement that armed men torched the residence of Father Isaac Achi, and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, in Paikoro, a local government area, after they could not get entry around 3:00 a.m.
Father Achi died due to burning and another priest, Father Collins who was at the former’s house at the time, was injured after getting shot while trying to escape.
Father Collins is getting better at a local hospital, said Adiodun.
“This is a sad moment. For a priest to be killed in such a manner means that we are not all safe. These terrorists have lost it, and drastic action is needed to end this ongoing carnage,” said Niger state governor Sani Bello.
