Catholic priest burned alive in Nigeria’s hard-hit north

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian priest was burned alive in his home in the country’s north on Sunday. Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun says Rev. Isaac Achi was killed in the Paikoro area of Niger state after gunmen failed to break into the Catholic priest’s house and instead set it on fire. A second priest living in the compound escaped with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. 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. The attacks often target religious figures such as clerics.