Open season declared on priests in Nigeria

KADUNA, Nigeria — Muslim extremists have declared open season on priests in Nigeria, a Catholic leader told Catholic World News. Father Peter Yakubu of Kaduna diocese says there is a bounty of $1,000 for each priest killed in Kaduna. The city has been the setting for religion-inspired riots between Muslims and Christians over the establishment of sharia, the Islamic code of conduct, within Nigeria state governments. Since the beginning of the year almost 200 Christians have died during violence and rioting in the Kaduna area. The most recent victim in Father Clement Ozi Bello, who was pulled from a car, tortured and then killed by a mob.