The Catholic diocese of Kafanchan, Kaduna, has announced the gruesome murder of Reverend Father John Mark Cheitnum, one of the two priests abducted from the church’s rectory last Friday.

In a memo sent by Reverend Father Emmanuel Uchechukwu Okolo and seen by Peoples Gazette, the church stated that Mr Cheitnum had been murdered on the same day he was abducted and his decomposing body was found four days later.

“Fr John Mark who was abducted from the rectory of Christ the King Parish Yadin Garu, Lere L.G.A of Kaduna State, was brutally killed by his abductors on the same day of his abduction; Friday 15th July, 2022. His corpse was later discovered already decomposing on Tuesday 19th July, 2022,” reads the memo.

Meanwhile, Reverend Father Donatus Cleophas, who was also abducted alongside Mr Cheitnum, was lucky to have escaped the kidnappers’ den, the memo added.

The murdered priest was the CAN chairman for Jama’a local government and the coordinating chairman for CAN in Southern Kaduna.

Announcing burial arrangements scheduled for Thursday, July 21, the church admonished Christian faithful “to refrain from taking the laws into their hands” in the quest for revenge.

Many priests have been the victims of targeted brutal attacks from bandits and unknown gunmen under the Muhammadu Buhari regime, who has continually made unfulfilled promises to curb insecurity in the nation.