From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja, Yakubu Busari in Benue, Nnaya Eziyi in Umuahia
… Defy Rains Kogi to Protest
The Catholic community in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital and environs on Tuesday defied the heavy down pour as they turned out in their hundreds to join other members across the country to protest the recent killings of the two Catholic priests and 17 other worshippers in Benue State.
The adherents who gathered at the Bishop’s Court, Government House, Lokoja as early as 8.00am went through major streets in the state capital drenched with rains as they clinched their Rosary in their hands praying.
The picture was the same all over the country.
Earlier before they filed out for the rosary procession, the Bishop of Lokoja Diocese, Bishop Martins Olorunmolu while addressing the crowd said there was too much blood shed in the nation and called on the Federal government to do something urgently to address the situation.
He said a country where Christians can no longer worship their God freely for fear of attacks and killings was a serious threat to the peaceful coexistence of such nation and called on politicians to avoid playing politics with human lives
Bishop Olorunmolu who lamented the high rate of poverty and sufferings among the citizens in the state due to non payment of salaries called on governor Yahaya Bello to allow his administration wear a human face.
He said even the schools being run by the Catholic mission in the state are now passing through tough time as the parents could no longer afford to pay the school fees of their children and wards due to non payment of salaries.
The protesters later ended their procession at the Immaculate Catholic Cathedral, Lokoja with prayers and Thanksgiving.
In Abuja, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Bishop Anselm Umoren, called on the Federal Government to rise up to its responsibility to protect lives and property of citizens.
Umoren made the call on Tuesday in Abuja in his sermon at the Requiem Mass for the slain priests and lay faithful in Mbalon, Benue.
“We are here today to remind our President about his promise to secure the lives and property of the citizens. Life is sacred; it is only God that has the right to take life, so there should be dignity for human life.
In his reaction, the Primate of Church Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, reiterated the need for the government to protect the lives and property of citizens.
The two Catholic priests and 17 parishioners slain by suspected herdsmen on April 24 in Benue State were buried on Tuesday amid nationwide peaceful protest by the Catholic faithful.
The two priests, Rev Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, and 17 members of the congregation while killed during an early morning mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church at Ayar Mbalom in the Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
The 19 were given a mass burial on Tuesday at Se Sugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Ayati Ikpayongo in Benue State.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, conveyed President Muhammadu Buhari’s condolence message to the Catholic Church and the people of Benue and lamented the killing
He said, “What manner of man is he that wakes up in the morning determined to kill innocent men and women? Surely, such one has lost his peace; he is to be condemned and cursed but perhaps, he deserves our pity even more.
“But what do we owe the dead today? What do we owe these 19 who died in Benue and the very many others who have been killed here? We cannot bring them back but we can provide succour and comfort for those that they left behind.
“We can ensure justice for them by apprehending and punishing the assailants. We must rebuild the many places that have been damaged and heal the wounds that have been caused.”
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday called on Buhari to suspend his second term ambition, till he had addressed and stopped the killings by herdsmen.
In a statement by its spokesman, Pastor Bayo Oladeji, CAN said, “While CAN is not opposed to the President’s exercise of his civic right by seeking re-election for the second time, we urge him to halt it for now and attend to the security problems occasioned by the criminal activities of the terrorists, herdsmen and bandits.
“CAN asks President Buhari to suspend his re-election bid until he restores sanity to the country while ensuring the release of Leah Sharibu, the remaining Chibok girls and other hostages from the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists.”
