Gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen have attacked a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, along the increasingly dangerous Makurdi-Naka Road in Benue State, leaving him critically injured.
The attack occurred on Saturday evening near the Tyolaha area in Gwer West Local Government Area. Rev. Fr. Atongo, who is the priest in charge of St. John’s Quasi Parish, Jimba, was traveling with two other individuals when the assailants struck.
According to eyewitness reports, the gunmen shot the priest and, believing he was dead, abducted the other two individuals to an undisclosed location. Fr. Atongo was later found and rushed to the hospital, where medical personnel are currently battling to save his life.
In an official statement released by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Rev. Fr. Shima Ukpanya, the Church appealed for prayers from the faithful, asking for divine intervention and healing for the wounded priest.
“I write on behalf of the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Rev. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, to inform and request your prayers for the quick recovery of one of our priests, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, who was attacked and shot this evening around Tyolaha, Makurdi-Naka Road, Gwer West Local Government by suspected terrorist herdsmen,” the statement read.
Fr. Ukpanya further implored the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, stating, “Let us unite in prayer for God’s healing upon him as the medics try to stabilize him. May our Lady Mother of Perpetual Help intercede for us.”
The Makurdi-Naka Road has earned a reputation for being a high-risk zone, plagued by frequent incidents of kidnapping and killings over the past two years. The deteriorating security situation has led many commuters to avoid the route entirely.
As of the time of this report, the Benue State Police Command has not issued an official statement regarding the attack.
