As rumour of torching Clergy House spiraled, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has cleared air that his residence was not attacked by protesting Muslim youths.
DAILY POST had reported that a riot erupted in Sokoto State over the killing of Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education for alleged blasphemy.
The unrest, according to a resident on Saturday, was following the arrest of the suspected killers of Deborah Samuel on Thursday.
The attackers of the Saturday riot, allegedly led by some clerics, specifically targeted the Catholic and ECWA churches and destroyed them.
Reports also emerged that St Bahkita, which serves as the secretariat of the diocese, was set alight by the thugs.
But in a statement signed by Reverend Father Christopher A. Omotasho, Director of the Directorate of Social Communication of the Diocese, said “contrary to information in circulation, we wish to disclaim that there was an attack of any sort on the residence of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.”
The statement noted with dismay that, during the protest, groups of youths led by some adults in the background attacked the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral at Bello Way, destroying church glass windows, those of the Bishop Lawton Secretariat and vandalized a community bus parked within the premises.
“St. Kevin’s Catholic Church Gidan Dere, Eastern By-pass, was also attacked and partly burnt; windows or the new hospital complex under construction, in the same premises were shattered.
“The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre located along Aliyu Jodi Road and burnt down a bus within the premises but they were promptly dispersed by a team of Mobile Policemen before they could do further damage,” the statement added.
Reacting, Kukah said his residence was not torched by the rioters.
“No, they did not burn my residence,” he told TheCable.
Bishop Kukah, however, commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal for acting promptly by declaring the 24-hour curfew to stem the protests.
He also commended the security forces for promptly rising to the occasion to prevent further damage at our facilities.
He further appealed to Christians to remain law abiding and pray for the return of normalcy, just as he suspended all masses until the curfew was lifted.
President Muhammadu Buhari had condemned the killing of the student and ordered a probe of the incident.
