The notoriety of Kaduna State as a land that spills the blood of Christian leaders was again brought to the fore on Tuesday with the announcement by the Catholic Church there that one of its kidnapped priests has been found dead.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Jema’a LGA of the state, Reverend Father John Cheitnum, one of the two Catholic priests abducted in Lere Local Government Area (LGA) of the State, has been killed by his abductors.
He was the Director of Communications at the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan.
In what appears to be targeted incidents, the state has seen the abduction of clergymen.
Within the last one year, the Catholic Church has lost three of its priests to banditry. Four others were released only after payment of undisclosed sums of money as ransom.
Late Cheitnum and his colleague, Reverend Father Donatus Cleopas, were kidnapped by bandits on July 16 while they were on pastoral work at the rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, Yadin Garu in Lere LGA.
In a statement, the Chancellor of Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Emmanuel Okolo, said the decomposing body of the priest was discovered on Tuesday.
Reverend Father Cleopas, on his part, was said to have been released by the bandits after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to them as ransom.