From Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
armed herdsmen while he was traveling along Ihe-Agbudu community road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.
The expressed dissatisfaction over the inability of the state government to safeguard the lives of citizens.
Shouts of “There is no security in Enugu State “, “Governor must wake up, ” “Gburugburu wake up on security matters “, rented the air as the priests marched through major streets making their way towards Lion Building.
Enough’’, “Catholic Priests are Target of Hoodlums’’, “We Cannot be
Living in Fear’’, “Government Must Address Security Challenge in
Enugu’’ and “We Are Not Happy with Government’’.
Briefing news men, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, said that the protest was to register the displeasure of the diocese over the incessant attacks on
Catholic priests by hoodlums in the state, which had lasted for seven
years now.
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 diocese lost a priest in March, who was killed by suspected armed
herdsmen.
“he is still receiving intensive medical attention as we speak’’.
state. This year alone, we [diocese] have suffered some casualties.
“While we get worried when our priests are attacked is that it shows
the level of insecurity other Nigerians face daily.
[locals], so if these things can happen to them, what happens to the
flocks [the people they shepherd].
yesterday afternoonin this Bishop house very healthy and sound, being reported
to have died.
“Everybody is so mad; because it is becoming too constant especially
within the past six or seven years now; we have suffered serious
kidnapping of our priests.
were kidnappedat various locations in the state.
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.
Meanwhile the Enugu state police command has disclosed the intention of the state police command to commence air surveillance of forests in the state as a strategy of checkmating increasing high rate of insecurity in the state.
He stated, “The Enugu state government has condemned in totality the gruesome
murder of Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, by yet to be identified gunmen.
“Enugu State Government has resolved to carryout air surveillance in all forests that these dastardly acts incidences are taking place”, he said.
He said immediately after the air surveillance, the security agencies
will embark on rigorous joint operations as from Monday 5th of August
2019. He stated that the security architecture around those areas
will be reviewed with immediate effect.
The Enugu State Commissioner of police who read the communiqué issued
at the end of the meeting, also announced that the state government
has also observed that there is proliferation of small and light
weapons in the hands of people that are not suppose to possess arms.
He said to that effect, the state government has set up a committee
comprising security agencies, local government chairmen to mop up
these illegal weapons that are in the hands of the people illegally.
According to the commissioner, the committee has been given three
days within which to submit same after which, people found to be in
possession of weapons illegally will be dealt with in accordance with
the law.
He also disclosed that Enugu state has resolved to employ the
services of forests guards as well strengthen neighborhood watch and
assured that the state command and other security agencies have
resolved to fish out the criminals with immediate effect.
Also speaking the Archbishop on Enugu Diocese, his Grace, Emmanuel
Chukwuma condoned with the Catholic Church over the killing one of its
priests, stating that Enugu State is safe and those they very much
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