KADUNA – A Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Joseph Aketeh Bako died in the hands of his abductors eight weeks after he was abducted, Leadership newspaper is reporting.
According to the report, the Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Rev Fr. Christian Okewu Emanuel, disclosed this on Wednesday, May 11 in the state.
The Chancellor also disclosed that late Fr. Bako had died between Monday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 20.
His words:
“fr. joseph (aged 48) was kidnapped from his residence, in st john catholic church kudenda, where he was serving as parish priest, on the 8th march 2022.”
According to the Chancellor, Fr. Bako was ill before the abduction and his abductors didn’t allow him to go with his drugs.
He added: “His own brother was killed there in his presence, and after his brother was killed his condition worsened and he died.
“We have not recovered his corpse but we have confirmed his death, people who were kidnapped together saw him die.”
He further added that the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, has communicated his deepest sympathies to Fr. Bako’s immediate family and the entire Catholic Community of St John Kudenda; and assured them of his fraternal closeness and prayers.
