ABUJA, Nigeria—A Nigerian priest was burned alive in his home in the country’s north on Sunday, police said.
Rev. Isaac Achi was killed in the Paikoro area of Niger state after gunmen failed to break into his house and instead set it on fire, said Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesman. A second priest living in the compound escaped with a gunshot wound to his shoulder, he said.
“Unfortunately, the bandits reportedly attempted to gain entrance into the residence, which seemed difficult,” so they “set the house ablaze” and the Catholic priest burned to death, Wasiu said.
Nigerian authorities are struggling to stem rising violence in the north and central regions where armed groups target rural communities, killing thousands and abducting people to ransom. Security forces are often outnumbered and outgunned and suspects are seldom detained, residents said….