Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto (Latin: Sokotoën(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Sokoto in the Ecclesiastical province of Kaduna in Nigeria. Its territory includes the states of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Katsina.

For the Diocese of Sokoto in the Church of Nigeria, see Anglican Province of Kaduna.
Diocese of Sokoto

Dioecesis Sokotoensis
Location
Country Nigeria
TerritoryNigerian states of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina
Ecclesiastical provinceKaduna
MetropolitanArchbishop of Kaduna
Coordinates13°03′39″N 5°14′20″E
Statistics
Area109,507 km2 (42,281 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2004)
12,251,910
60,554 (0.5%)
Parishes17
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established16 June 1964
CathedralHoly Family Cathedral, Sokoto
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopMost Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah
Map
The Diocese of Sokoto includes all of Sokoto State (shown here in red) as well as portions of neighboring states of Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina.
The Diocese of Sokoto includes all of Sokoto State (shown here in red) as well as portions of neighboring states of Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina.
Website

History
  • June 29, 1953: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sokoto from the Apostolic Prefecture of Kaduna
  • June 16, 1964: Promoted as Diocese of Sokoto

Special churches

The Cathedral is Holy Family Cathedral in Sokoto.

Bishops

Coadjutor bishop

Persecution

Situated in the North of Nigeria, in a Muslim-majority atmosphere, there have been incidents of persecution in Sokoto against Christians and Catholics in particular. In May 2022, following the lynching of Deborah Yakubu, there was violence against other Christian sites, according to a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. "During the protest, groups of youths led by some adults in the background attacked the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral at Bello Way, destroying church glass windows, those of the Bishop Lawton Secretariat, and vandalized a community bus parked within the premises. St. Kevin’s Catholic Church was also attacked and partly burnt; windows of the new hospital complex under construction, in the same premises, were shattered. The hoodlums also attacked the Bakhita Centre […], burning down a bus within the premises.”[1]

In 2022 two Catholic priests were kidnapped, and later released, in the diocese. Their names are Fr Stephen Ojapah and Fr. Oliver Okpara.

See also

References
  1. ACN (2022-05-17). "Anti-Christian violence and curfew follow killing of girl in Sokoto, Nigeria". ACN International. Retrieved 2022-11-18.

Sources


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