A Nigerian seminary student has died from a fire set by suspected terrorists on a refectory.
Na’aman Danlami, 25, a seminarian at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Fadan Kamantan, Southern Kaduna, North West Nigeria, under Kafanchan, was burnt to death by the terrorists who made attempts to kidnap other priests.
Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi of Kafanchan reportedly said the terrorists attacked the rectory of the church on September 7 but could not gain access to the parish priest they sought to kidnap, forcing them to set it on fire.
He said the priest, Reverend Emmanuel Okolo, who was the target, and his assistant, managed to escape but Danlami was killed in the fire.
“The bandits went for a kidnapping spree. Two priests in the burnt house were able to escape. The seminarian was trapped. The bandits set the rectory ablaze. Na’aman Danlami, the seminarian, died of asphyxiation and suffered severe burns. May God rest the soul of this martyr,” said an area priest, Rev. Williams Kaura Abba, who also taught the Danlami at St. Albert Institute.
Reverend John Hayab, the Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body of all Nigerian Christians, lamented the prevailing insecurity in the area.
He said, “It is sad that killings and this type of evil against Christians are going on in spite of our appeal and pleading to the Nigerian government to take measures towards ending these attacks.”
A group, Aid to the Church, said four Catholic priests were killed in Nigeria and 28 others kidnapped in 2022.
It also said so far, 14 clergymen have been kidnapped.
Christian watchdog, Open Doors, in its 2023 Watch List, said Nigeria ranked sixth among 50 nations of the world where Christianity is difficult to practice.