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Catholic priests protesting over insecurity |
The priests protests to expressed their grievances over the brutal murder of Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, on Thursday evening,August 1,by yet to be identified gunmen, suspected to be armed herdsmen while he was traveling along Ihe-Agbudu community road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.
Onaga said that the Catholic priests were simply demanding for more security 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, who was murdered by suspected armed herdsmen.
He said that two weeks ago, another priest was shot in the state and “he is still receiving intensive medical attention as we speak’’.
“While we get worried when our priests are attacked is that it shows the level of insecurity other Nigerians face daily.
“Our priests are very much respected and honoured by the people [locals], so if these things can happen to them, what happens to the flocks [the people they shepherd].
“We were shocked to see a priest that joined in our meeting yesterday afternoon in this Bishop house very healthy and sound, being reported
to have died.
“It is becoming too bad. In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 our priests were kidnapped at various locations in the state.
“Only in 2017, we were giving some breathing space. It continued in 2018 and this year, 2019; it is worst as we have suffered the death of a priest in March this year and now another issue,’’ he lamented.