Uchendu Alexis
The St. Raphael Catholic Church in Fadan Kamantan, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was the scene of a catastrophic bandit attack, which resulted in the unfortunate death of Naam Stephen Ngofe Danlam, a devout seminarian.
The heinous crime occurred on Thursday, September 7, at 8:00 p.m. Armed robbers forced their way inside the parish house and caused havoc in their wake. They cruelly lit the house ablaze and started a nearby car on fire, engulfing the area in confusion and panic.
Naam Stephen Ngofe Danlami, a seminarian who had dedicated himself to the path of priesthood, was the victim of this heartbreaking incident. As he struggled to escape the hands of the ruthless attackers, he accidently swallowed smoke, which claimed his life.
In a statement to the press, ASP Mansir Alhassan, the State Police Command’s Acting Public Relations Officer, verified the unsettling occurrence. The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan’s Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, and his assistant narrowly survived the carnage, coming out uninjured physically but surely affected by the horrible experience.
Following this heartbreaking tragedy, the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) published a heartfelt statement expressing deep grief over the seminarian’s death. Naam Stephen Ngofe Danlami’s aspirations to become a Catholic priest were sadly cut short by this vicious and unfortunate attack as he was about to finish his training.
The attack on St. Raphael Catholic Church and the tragic loss of a young life highlight the urgent need for increased security measures and a coordinated effort to combat the rising insecurity that has plagued portions of Nigeria, leaving communities in mourning and anguish.
