No attack on Kukah’s residence, Sokoto cathedral — Army

The Nigerian Army and the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto have jointly dismissed viral social media reports alleging an armed attack on the residence of Bishop Matthew Kukah and the Sokoto Catholic Cathedral, describing the claims as entirely false and potentially dangerous.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 8 Division, Lt Col Olaniyi Osoba, said the report — which had been circulating on Facebook — was misleading and without any factual basis.

“We categorically debunk these unfounded claims as there was no such attack in Sokoto State,” Osoba said, adding that Bishop Kukah’s residence and the cathedral remain safe and secure.

The Army confirmed that Bishop Kukah was carrying out his Easter duties without any disruption, and assured residents that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to ensure a peaceful celebration across its area of responsibility. It added that the 8 Division, in collaboration with Operation FANSAN YAMMA Sector 2 and other security agencies, remained committed to the protection of lives across the state.

The Catholic Diocese of Sokoto separately issued its own rebuttal, with the Director of Communications, Pascal Salifu, warning that the video accompanying the false report had originally circulated following the murder of Deborah Yakubu in May 2022 — and was now being recycled to cause unrest.

“This is the work of persons committed to causing havoc in society,” Salifu said. “The Bishop’s residence, the Cathedral, and the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Sokoto remain safe, intact and fully operational.”

The diocese also conveyed Bishop Kukah’s Easter goodwill message to the faithful, while expressing appreciation to the military and security agencies for their swift response to the disinformation.

The debunking comes during the Easter period, a sensitive time when the spread of inflammatory content targeting religious sites carries heightened risk of provoking public unrest.