The Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has commiserated with the people of God in Wukari Diocese, calling for resilience of faith, following the recent fire incident that engulfed St. Mary’s Cathedral Wukari, North-eastern Nigeria.
In a statement during a visit to assess the inferno, the Special Adviser on Christian Religion Matters, Very Rev. Fr. Sunday Patrick Muke, “expressed concern and conveyed the sympathy of His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas, to the Bishop, clergy and Catholic faithful, describing the unfortunate incident as a painful loss.”
The Special Adviser prayed “for the quick restoration of the Cathedral and for continued peace, unity, and resilience among the people of Wukari Diocese and the entire state.”
Very Rev. Fr. Sunday Patrick Muke, Representative of Taraba State Governor, during the assessment tour. Credit: Special Adviser on Christian Religious Matters, Taraba State
On hand were the Cathedral Administrator and priests of the new diocese who provided “firsthand information” about the mishap.
The priest of Jalingo Diocese used the occasion to assure the Catholic Church of the government’s solidarity and support.”
Meanwhile, in an earlier statement dated 05 March, the Special Adviser to the Taraba State Governor on Christian Religion Matters, stated that “His Excellency described the incident as distressing and extended his heartfelt solidarity to the Bishop, Priests, Consecrated Persons, and the Lay Faithful in Wukari Diocese and beyond.”
In part, the statement further read, “His Excellency thanked God that no lives were lost, commended efforts to contain the fire, assured the Diocese of the support of the Taraba State Government, and called on the people of the State to remain calm and continue praying for peace, unity, and protection over all places of worship.”
The diocese, through the Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Simon Akuraga, had explained that the fire occurred on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at about 9:40 p.m., after choir members completed their practice and left the church.
The Chancellor stated that, “Suddenly the priest heard an electrical spark in the ceiling, then the smoke and the wild flame.”
The burnt Church. Credit: Special Adviser on Christian Religious Matters, Taraba State
Fr. Akuraga narrated that the priest “quickly went and removed the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle and rushed out to seek for help, beginning with the security men at the gate.”
According to him, despite the efforts of “few parishioners and other concerned individuals” to extinguish the fire, unfortunately, except for “the Blessed Sacrament, few altar chairs, some musical instruments, few liturgical vestments and vessels that were rescued, all the other things were completely consumed by the inferno, leaving only the walls standing.”
