General
Letter to President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria After Murder of University Student and Attacks on Church Property, May 26, 2022
May 26, 2022
Your Excellency Most Reverend Lucious Ugorji
Bishop of Umuahia
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria
Your Excellency:
It is with horror, shock and sadness that I have learned of the senseless killing of Ms. Deborah Yakuba Samuel, a university student at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Nigeria. I also understand that this death escalated into violence directed at two Catholic churches and other Church property. As Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express my solidarity with the Church in Nigeria and my sincerest condolences to the family of Ms. Yakuba Samuel. May her soul rest in eternal peace.
I also wish to extend my solidarity and sympathies to Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of Sokoto where the death and attacks on Church property occurred. Our Conference has worked with Bishop Kukah on a number of occasions and we are saddened by this wanton death and destruction.
It is our hope that those responsible for these acts are brought to justice in order to avoid such violence in the future.
Please be assured of our prayers at this unsettling time and do let us know if there is anything we can do to support you and the people of Nigeria.
Fraternally yours in Christ,
Most Reverend David J. Malloy
Bishop of Rockford
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace
Cc: His Excellency Archbishop Alfred Martins, Archbishop of Lagos and President of the Department on Church and Society
His Excellency, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto