Armed gunmen suspected to be bandits early Sunday burnt Reverend Father, Isaac Achi of Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church to death at Kafin Koro Community in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack occurred a few days after the police celebrated the arrest of four armed bandits planning to launch an attack on Maje village near Nasko Magama and other communities in the state.
It was learnt that the attackers invaded Kafin Koro Community around 1pm, and shot sporadically as they made for the reverend father’s uphill residence.
The suspected bandits were said to have divided themselves into two groups; while the first group went to the cleric’s residence, the other stayed in the community shooting intermittently to wade off any intervention.
A resident who identified himself as Paul disclosed that when the bandits could not assess the resident after trying for over one hour, they set the whole building ablaze with him in it and waited until it was razed to the ground.
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In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident.
“Armed bandits in the early hours of today invaded the residence of one, Rev. Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church, along Daza road, Kafin-Koro in Paikoro Local Government Area.
“The bandits reportedly attempted to gain entrance into the residence, but seems difficult and they decided to set the house ablaze while the said Rev. Father was burnt dead,” he said.
The police spokesman further said that a Police Tactical team attached to Kaffin-Koro Division was immediately drafted to the area but the hoodlums had completed their evil acts and escaped before their arrival.
He confirmed that the lifeless body of Father Achi was recovered from the debris but a friend to the deceased, Father Collins who was shot in the shoulder by the bandits is responding to treatment at an undisclosed health facility.
