dead of night, under a sky that should have been quiet with prayer, armed bandits stormed the parish house of St. Rita Catholic Church in Unity Estate, Mararaba, Nasarawa State — barely a stone’s throw from Nigeria’s federal capital. At roughly 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the assailants broke into the residence, brutally assaulting two priests while the parish priest narrowly escaped unharmed.
The victims, *Rev. Fr. Comas Baye*, the resident priest and a cadet of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI), and *Rev. Fr. Chris Pever*, a visiting priest and former assistant at the parish, were beaten and stabbed. Fr. Baye, already grappling with a partial stroke, suffered further complications from the trauma. Fr. Pever endured severe injuries, including a fractured left arm that required surgical intervention — a procedure successfully performed at Nativity Catholic Hospital in Jikwoyi, Abuja, where both clerics were rushed for emergency care. By press time, both priests were reported stable and responding to treatment.
The Abuja Grand Commandery of the Noble Order of the Knights of St. John International issued a scathing condemnation of the assault. In a joint statement signed by Grand President Brig. Gen. Francis Ulonna Njoku (rtd) and Grand Secretary Col. Etta Peters (rtd), the organization denounced the attack as “heinous, barbaric, and reprehensible,” warning that it is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of violence targeting places of worship and religious leaders across the Federal Capital Territory and neighboring states.
“This vicious assault is not only a direct attack on innocent clergy,” the statement read, “but also a grave affront to the sanctity of human life, religious institutions, and the moral fabric of our society.”
The Knights called for an immediate, thorough investigation by security agencies, swift apprehension of the culprits, and their prompt prosecution. They also urged federal, state, and local governments to urgently bolster security around churches, mosques, and other religious sites — warning that inaction could invite more tragedies.
In solidarity, the Abuja Grand Commandery extended heartfelt prayers and support to the Catholic Diocese of Lafia, the clergy, and parishioners of St. Rita’s, imploring divine healing for the injured priests and lasting peace for the troubled region.
This attack underscores a broader crisis: the alarming rise in banditry and violent crime near Abuja, with religious institutions increasingly becoming targets. As Nigeria enters a new year, the incident serves as both a wake‑up call and a solemn reminder that the safety of the faithful — and indeed, all citizens
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