January 17, 2023

Aggrieved youths of Kaffin-Koro in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State have burnt a police station in protest of the heinous killing of a Catholic priest, Rev Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church by armed bandits.

It was gathered the youths were angered by the slow response of the police to the cries of help from the people when the gunmen attacked the priest’s residence on Sunday.

Channels Television learnt that during the protest, cars, houses including the police post were burnt even as several persons sustained injuries.

Bandits set Rev Achi ablaze on Sunday morning when they tried to gain access to his residence.

The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Services, Emmanuel Umar said though the state government is pained by the incident, nobody has the right to take laws into his or her hands for whatever reason.

The commissioner stated that the state government would not allow any form of violence that would lead to destruction of government property.

“Since the incident happened on Sunday, you have seen the commitment of government that is why we are calling on communities to support government in riding the state of bandits and not to take side by vandalising government property,” he said.

Umar also added that a security team had been dispatched to Kaffin-Koro to do an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer DSP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the burning of the police station in the area by angry youths.

“Before the police could mobilise and get to his place to engage the assailants, they had already ran away from the scene.”