Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - The head of the Catholic church of Saint Augustine in the Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in central Nigeria has been killed.
According to what Agenzia Fides learns, on the morning of January 20, some bandits, perhaps Fulani shepherds, attacked the community of Abebe. In the shooting, Augustine Avertse, the leader of the local Catholic community died together with his father, Akaa'am Avertse, and two other people.
One of the survivors, who was injured, says that the attack was not provoked, as there had never been any form of misunderstanding between the members of the community and the Fulani shepherds who lived in the area.
In the meantime, the confirmation of the killing of Lawan Andimi, a local leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, who was kidnapped in early January by Boko Haram in the Michika Local Government Area in the State of Adamawa in northeastern Nigeria, aroused emotion. In a statement, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari spoke of the "cruel, inhuman and deliberately provocative" murder, and assured that those responsible "will pay dearly for their actions". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 22/1/2020)
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