Religious protest: Bishop Kukah reacts, says house not burnt in Sokoto

Following the protest that rocked Sokoto State on Saturday over the arrest of arsonist students who killed and burnt Deborah Samuel for alleged blasphemy, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah said, he’s safe.

Denying the report in some news outlets that he was under attack and that his house was burnt by the protesters, he said, his house wasn’t burnt.

The irate youths were on rampage as a result of the detention of killers of the female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto demanding that the two arsonists be released.

Earlier, governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal declared a 24 hour curfew to restore calm.

Also, Kukah was quoted in a statement on Saturday on Channels Television calling for calm while he commended the governor for his swift intervention.

But Kukah further explained that the youths with adults, destroyed the Catholic Cathedral and destroyed windows, glasses, the Bishop Lawton Secretariat and a community bus parked within the premises.

But before the protesters could do further damage, he said, the team of mobile policemen arrived at the venue and dispersed them.

“The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre located along Aliyu Jodi road and burnt down a bus within the premises.”

Kukah commended the security forces for promptly rising to the occasion to prevent further damage at our facilities, adding that no life was lost.

The Bishop appealed to Christians to remain law abiding and pray for the return of normalcy.

He noted that all masses in Sokoto metropolis have been suspended until the curfew is lifted.