The Bishop has however told The Cable that his residence has not been attacked nor was set on fire by the protesting mob
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Following riot for the release of the Sokoto killer mob, Nigerians are worried over the safety of Bishop Mathew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the state.
A report by Peoples Gazette claimed the Bishop’s church was set on fire by the protesting mob.
The Bishop has however told The Cable that his residence has not been attacked.
According to the Gazette, it said it geolocated a trending video claiming to be Bishop Kukah’s church and found that it is the same building on fire.
it is however not clear if the Bishop’s residence and the house are located in the same premises.
It said the geolocation of the trending video showed that the church along Aliyu Jodi Road was the same building claimed to have been burnt by rampaging thugs.
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It was unclear if the church was targeted for arson because of Mr Kukah’s statement condemning Ms Samuel’s gruesome murder or if it was a random hit by the thugs.
The newspaper said it could not independently verify if the respected religious leader was being smuggled out of the state for his safety at the time of filing this report.
A spokesman for the police in Sokoto did not immediately comment on the destruction of St Bakhita. The police fired teargas to disperse protesters from breaking into the church earlier in the day, but the attackers regrouped after the police vans left the neighbourhood, witnesses said.
Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Tambuwal has imposed a curfew over Sokoto to curb further spread of violence amid a mob rampage for the release of Ms Samuel’s murder suspects.
Ms Samuel, a 200-level home economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, was killed at about 9:00 a.m. Thursday for allegedly criticising Prophet Muhammad.
Her killing has sparked nationwide outrage, with political and religious leaders demanding urgent arrest and prosecution of all suspects.
The newspaper said when it contacted Kukah, he said he was on his way out of Sokoto. The windy background on the bishop’s end of the call confirmed he was indeed on the move.