Nigeria's Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan has confirmed the killing of a Seminarian in the Diocese after a Parish rectory he was in was set on fire reportedly by Fulani bandits in what has been confirmed as a kidnapping attempt.

According to Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi of Kafanchan, Seminarian Na'aman Danlami died when the Fulanis attacked St. Raphael Fadan Kamantan Parish on the night of Thursday, September 7 and set the rectory ablaze.

In an interview with the Catholic Pontifical and charity foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, Bishop Kundi said that the Parish Priest, Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, and his Assistant, were able to escape the fire incident in which the 25-year-old Seminarian died.

“The attackers were aiming to kidnap the parish priest. When they failed in their attempt to enter the father's house, they set it on fire. The two priests were able to escape but, terribly, the seminarian was burned inside,” ACN has quoted the Nigerian Catholic Bishop as saying in a report shared with ACI Africa on Friday, September 8. 

Bishop Kundi added, “The assault lasted more than an hour, but there was no reaction or support from the military forces. A kilometer away there is a checkpoint, but there was a total absence of reaction.”

“Nigerian citizens are unprotected. We hardly benefit from the security forces,” the Local Ordinary of Kafanchan Diocese said.

Earlier, Seminarian Na'aman had been said to be missing. A priest who took a video that showed the arson said that they could not establish the whereabouts of the Seminarian.

“Fr. Okolo and I are out of the house. It is brother Na’aman whose whereabouts we don't know. Whether he’s there in the flames or they have taken him, or he has escaped we don't know,” the Priest said, adding that the Parish had fallen under attack at around 8:00 p.m.

Bishop Kundi has described Seminarian Na’aman’s death as “a terrible loss”, adding that his killing is not the first in his Episcopal See that serves Kaduna State.