03082019 - Worsening Insecurity: Suspected herdsmen kill Catholic priest in Enugu

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019
Worsening Insecurity: Suspected herdsmen
kill Catholic priest in Enugu
*Abduct RCCG pastor, four others in Ogun
* Priests protest, Adeboye calls for prayers
By Sam Eyoboka &
Dennis Agbo
BARELY
three
weeks after Mrs
Olakunrin, daughter of
Afenifere chairman, Pa
Reuben Fasoranti was
killed by suspected gunmen,
a catholic priest in
Enugu, Rev Fr Paul Offu
is now the newest addition
to the growing number
of citizens who have
lost their lives to the
worsening security situation
in the country.
Fr. Offu, the Parish
Priest of Ugbuakwa was
allegedly shot dead by
suspected Fulani herdsmen
along Agwu road,
Enugu. He was said to
be travelling for a visit
to one of his family
friends when the incident
happened.
Just when the nation
was grappling with the
sad news, five persons
including one pastor of
the Redeemed Christian
Church of God, RCCG,
were reportedly abducted
at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun
State.
The General Overseer
of the RCCG, Pastor
Enoch Adeboye announced
the abduction
on Friday morning while
giving a talk at the Redeemed
Camp along the
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Pastor Adeboye said
the abduction took place
on Thursday along the
Ijebu-Ode axis. He
charged the congregation
to pray for the release
of the abductees.
Irked by the death of
their colleague, Catholic
Priests in Enugu yesterday
staged a protest demanding
that criminal
Fulani herdsmen must
leave the state with immediate
effect.
The over 400 Catholic
priests said they took
the decision after their
emergency meeting on
Friday at Holy Ghost
Cathedral Ogui-Enugu.
They subsequently embarked
on street protest
from the cathedral to
Enugu government
house.
The priests, who
marched peacefully,
passed through major
roads within Enugu metropolis
on their white official
cassock to government
house where they
registered their grievances
and made their
position known to
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
They held placards
with various inscriptions;
“Enough is
Enough”, “Catholic
Priests are Targets of
Hoodlums”, “We Cannot
be Living in Fear”,
``Government Must
Address Security Challenge
in Enugu”, “Bad
Herdsmen must be
ejected in our state,
“We’re dying, life is sacred,”
etc.
Addressing newsmen
on the development, the
Catholic Bishop of Enugu
Diocese, Most Rev.
Dr. Callistus Onaga,
said that the protest
came to register the displeasure
of the diocese
over the incessant attacks
on Catholic priests
by hoodlums in the state,
which he noted have
lasted for seven years.
Onaga said that the
Catholic priests were simply
demanding for better
security beef up in the
state; adding that “If there
are crop of bad herdsmen
in the state, they should
be fished out and we will
continue to live in peace
with the good ones.”
The bishop however noted
that the attack had become
unbearable as the
diocese lost a priest in
March this year, who was
also killed by suspected
armed herdsmen. He also
disclosed that another
priest shot about two
weeks ago in the state, is
still receiving intensive
medical attention in an
undisclosed hospital.
Speaking with Saturday
Vanguard on how the incident
occurred, the Director
of catholic communications,
Enugu Dioceses,
Rev Fr Ben Achi said
“what happened was that
after our meeting in
Emene, yesterday
(Thursday), we came out
to hear a news that one
of us, Rev Fr James Offu
was shot dead by some
Fulani herdsmen who
took him into the bush
around 2pm at Agwu
road. He was travelling
for a visit to one of his family
friends when he was
accosted by these men
who shot him dead.
“They were shooting
and he kept moving even
as they were shooting
and because they had
shot and deflated the tyres
of his car, he and the
boy that accompanied him
ran into the bush but they
cut up with them and
eventually killed him.
“They left the boy that
accompanied him but
they killed the priest because
they said the
From left Mr Peter Obi, former Governor, Anambra State; Mr Valentine Ozigbo,
President, Transcorp; Chief Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace Airline and son of
Late Chief Michael Onyema and His Royal Highness, Igwe E. Nnabuife during the
Service of songs for Late Chief Michael Onyema at Mbosi, Anambra State, Photo
Lamidi Bamidele
priest was the one driving
and that he refused
to stop by the time they
were shooting at him.
According to the young
man who came to speak
with us this morning, he
said that one of them
suggested that they take
him and ask for ransom
but the others said because
he had given them
troubles, they were going
to kill him.
“He said that one of
them said that even if
they take him, the ransom
may not be paid. So
out of anger they decided
to kill him, his body
was raided with bullets.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
upon receiving
the unfortunate news of
the incident summoned
an emergency security
meeting at the Government
House, Enugu,
which was attended by
all the security agencies
in the state, Archbishop
Emmanuel Chukwuma
of Enugu Ecclesiastical
Province (Anglican Communion),
representative
of the Catholic Bishop of
Enugu Diocese, Rev.
Fr. Dr. Nnamdi Nwankwo,
among others.
Briefing journalists on
the outcome of the meeting,
the State Commissioner
of Police, Suleiman
Balarabe, stated that they
“condemned in totality
the dastardly act and we
all prayed that his soul
rest in peace”, adding
that the governor mandated
the security agencies
to fish out the perpetrators
of the heinous act.
Balarabe disclosed that
the state government resolved
to have air surveillance
in all the flashpoint
areas, stressing that the
exercise will commence
on Monday, August 5.
The police commissioner
added that the meeting
resolved that the security
architecture of the
affected areas will be reviewed
with immediate
effect.
He said that the meeting
observed with deep
concern the proliferation
of dangerous arms in the
state, stating that those
in possession of illegal
weapons have been given
three days to submit
them to the police “and
after which anybody
found with illegal weapons
will be dealt with in
accordance with the law”.
Balarabe revealed that
in keeping with the outcome
of the recent meeting
of the South East
Governors Forum, the
Enugu State Government
resolved at the
emergency meeting to
employ the services of
Forest Guards and equally
strengthen the services
of the Neighborhood
Watch groups in the state.
Meanwhile abductors
of RCCG pastor and four
others are yet to make
any contact with their
families after their kidnap.
A statement by the
church’s head of Publicity,
Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi
last night confirmed
the development, assuring
that church was making
frantic efforts to get
further details before a
detailed response.
Asked if the abductors
have gotten in touch, the
church spokesman said
as far the church was
concerned there has
been no word. “I cannot
say if they had reached
out to their family
members, but we are
making frantic efforts as
a corporate organisation
to get more facts,” he
stated, adding “Daddy
just mentioned during
ministration in the morning
and we are yet get
more details.
“The pastor belongs to
one of our youth churches
coming in from the
Ogun state axis for the
Ministers Conference.
We do not have further details
yet. Whether the abductors
have gotten in
touch with their families
I cannot tell but we urge
all Nigerians to intercede
for the victims.”
"We're on top of the
situation,"Governor
Ugwuanyi said last
night, adding "we have
another emergency
meeting tomorrow and
security men will begin
to comb everywhere to
sustain peace in Enugu
State which has been
very peaceful".
FG holds induction for 43
Ministers-Designate
FOLLOWING confir
mation by the Senate,
the federal government has
concluded arrangements
for an induction retreat for
its 43 Ministers Designate
with a view to preparing
them for the task ahead.
Secretary to the Government
of the Federation SGF,
Boss Mustapha who disclosed
this in a statement
Friday in Abuja added that
relevant documents for their
study and guidance, preparatory
to the inauguration of
the cabinet shall be available
for collection at the Office
of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation
(OSGF) (Cabinet Affairs
Office) next Tuesday.
“Ministers Designate are
also requested to please
Don’t blame
every
problem on
herdsmen
— Kukah
By Lawani Mikairu
THE Bishop of Sokoto
Diocese, Bishop Hassan
Kukah yesterday said
the diversity of Nigeria
should be seen as a
strength instead of a divisive
factor. He also said
blaming every problem on
Herdsmen and Fulani will
not help the country.
Kukah said this at the
burial ceremony of Air
Peace airline chairman,
Barrister Allen Onyema’s
father, Chief Micheal Onyema
in Mbosi, Anambra
state.
According to him criminal
elements are perpetuating
evil and Nigerians
are blaming herdsmen. He
said that banditry, armed
robbery cases and killings
currently going on in some
part of the country should
be tackled holistically, instead
of taking the easy
path of blaming every
crime on herdsmen.
He said : “ We are all
herdsmen. We are all nomads.
I have a couple of
goats I got as gift that I am
currently rearing. So. I am
also a herdsman. We
should always look beyond
the surface and tackle every
problem head-on. The
country’s problem is much
more complex”.
Bishop Kukah who delivered
an address at the
burial officiated by four
bishops and many Catholic
priests, traced his relationship
with the Air Peace
airline chairman, Allen
Onyema saying that he
has been overwhelmed by
the detribalised nature of
Onyema who has friends
across the country.
“ Onyema is ready to
render assistance to anybody
irrespective of where
he or she comes from. I
have had personal experience
with him and he
has not ceased to surprise
me. Nigerians should take
a cue from him.”
bring along and submit to
the OSGF, their updated
CV in soft and hard copies
as well as any valid
identification document.
“Finally, I am pleased to
inform you that, in view of
the need to allow Ministers
Designate enough
time to study the documents
(Status Report on
Policies, Programmes and
Projects; the 2019-2023
Road Map, FEC Handbook,
etc) and considering
the upcoming Sallah
break, His Excellency, Mr.
President has approved
an Induction Retreat for
Ministers Designate to be
held at the State House
Banquet Hall, Abuja from
August 15-16, 2019”, the
statement added.