The killing of Rev. Father Joseph For, Felix Tyolaha, and other dedicated members of St. Ignatius Catholic Parish at Mbalom Village, Gwer West Local Government Council of Benue State, have been condemned by Christian organisations across Nigeria.
A statement by the Parish Director of Communications, Rev. Father Moses Lorapuu, explained that the attack was perpetrated by herdsmen who stormed the Mbalom Village and killed parishioners during the morning mass at the church. The statement continued, “presently the church is in search of some of their prominent missionaries who are the major sponsors of activities in the church and seminarians who go about the streets to preach to unbelievers and win them to Christianity are allegedly on the death roll of the invading herdsmen.”
The statement further revealed that the missionaries, Victor Nwankwo, Silvester Okowa and three others, including the seminarians, Ijiofor Osita, Anthony Okoh Justus, Ijeh Chukwudi Jude and others were suspected to be targeted at, during the early morning massacre by the Fulani herdsmen.
“The blood hungry herdsmen allegedly claimed that the missionaries, Nwankwo and his colleagues are the major sponsors of churches in the area, while the seminarians are accused of moving about to convert hundreds of Muslims to Christians,” the statement noted.
According to investigations, the missionaries and seminarians are yet to be found as they have become a search agenda on the list of Africa’s most dreaded insurgent group. The Diocese which expressed disappointment and regret at the nonchalant attitude of the security agencies in containing the killing, said the herdsmen who stormed the village, burnt down houses, destroyed crops and killed people. The Church, therefore urged the relevant authorities to do everything possible to stop the incessant killing in Benue.
Rev. Father Lorapuu hinted that the Diocese has been active in providing food and relief materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs) made up of both Christians and Muslims since the onset of the hostilities in Benue State and wondered why it could be marked as target of attack.
“The attack on the Priests is an attack on everything that we ever stood for and believed in,” says Rev. Father Lorapuu.
Meanwhile, Victor Haruna, an indigene of Mbalom Village, who miraculously escaped unhurt from the church attack, said he overheard the conversations of the attackers few days before they carried out the attack. In his words, “I heard them complained among themselves that the seminarians go about the streets preaching against the doctrine of Islam and thereby converting Muslim faithfuls to Christians. In truth, the Seminarians don’t preach against Islamic doctrine. The attackers just hide under the false allegation to unleash their attack on the innocent Seminarians.”
Haruna recounted how the seminarians used to conduct house to house humanitarian services in Mbalom and other neighboring villages and share food items to them.
“The seminarians were very good to us. They visited houses and share food items to us. They were very friendly to us. They always make us happy anywhere we meet them. I will never forget Ephraim Joseph, Brother Happy Alfred Koka, Brother Ijeh Chukwudi Jude and Brother Sylvester Obi and others. They always taught us how to read the Bible whenever they visited us. They are never tired to help us. May God receive the souls of those that were killed in the attack and I wish those that were injured quick recovery in Jesus name, amen,” prayed Haruna.
When the Public Relations Officer(PRO) of Benue Police Command, ASP Moses Yamu was contacted, he was evasive to make a comment.
Discussion about this post