Last week, more than 200 priests of the Catholic diocese of Enugu, Enugu state, South East Nigeria, marched through the major streets in the city, holding placards and protesting at the murder of one of their colleagues, Fr Paul Offu.
After walking more than 5km around the city, the priests proceeded to the office of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu State where Fr Offu was killed, and the police headquarters, to ask them to find ways to end the killings and prosecute the suspects.
On August 1, Fr Offu, a resident priest of St James Greater Catholic church in the diocese, was killed by gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen from the Fulani ethnic group while returning to his parish after visiting his friend who is also a priest.
The diocese confirmed the killing of Fr Offu through a statement by the director of communication, Fr Benjamin Achi.
This is not the first time a priest has been killed in the diocese by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen. In March, three gunmen shot and kidnapped Fr Clement Ugwu at his parish in one of the local farming
communities in the state. Few days after he was abducted, Fr Ugwu’s decomposing corpse was found a few kilometres away from the church. The suspects were later arrested by the police.
On July 18, another priest of the diocese, Fr Paulinus Ikechukwu Ilo, was attacked and shot by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen. He is presently receiving treatment of the injuries he sustained at an undisclosed hospital in the city.
In 2018, two priests, Fr Joseph Gor and Fr Felix Tyolaha and 17 parishioners were killed by suspected herdsmen who invaded their parish in a local community in Benue state, Middle-Belt Nigeria during a 5.30am Mass and opened fire. The attackers also burnt about 100 houses and destroyed farmlands. Thousands took to the streets to demand justice.
Some months back, the herdsmen had invaded several communities in the region and killed more than 100 farmers and displaced more than 300,000 people from the local community over conflicting grazing routes.
“We are tired of all these killings and that is why we are protesting,” Fr Sylvester Okorie, who joined his fellow priests in the protest, said. “This is not the first time it is happening, and we are very sad that nothing is done to end the killings.”
Nigeria’s security situation has worsened in recent years, with increased number of unresolved abductions and murders in the country. Despite promises, the government and security personnel have on many occasions failed to address the situation.
The bishop of the diocese, Callistus Onaga, condemned the killing and attacks on priests in the country and called for improved security system which he described as “poor and ineffective”.
“I am sorrowful and utterly disappointed in the security situation in the state,” Onaga said. “This year alone, we have suffered some casualties. While we get worried when our priests are attacked, it shows the level of insecurity other Nigerians face daily.”
A day before he was killed, Fr Offu had joined in a priests’ meeting at the bishop’s court. Onaga says he was devastated to learn that someone whom he met recently was no more.
“Our priests are respected and honoured by the people. So if these things could happen to them, what happens to the people whom they serve?”
Three days after the killing of Fr. Offu, the police said they had arrested some suspects in connection with the killing and thay they will soon be charged.
Some Catholic NGOs in Nigeria are beginning to organize conferences to find a way forward. For instance, the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), an organization devoted to the promotion of justice and peace, will in September organize a conference on interfaith dialogue, security and peace to proffer solutions on the frequent killings. The conference will bring together religious leaders, political actors and security experts during the week-long event.
“It’s quite unfortunate that priests are victims of these killings,” Fr Chinedu Anieke, the director of CIDJAP says. “We have to be worried not just for priests but also for the crime and evil happening in the society. We hope to use this to contribute towards the eradication of this evil in our society because the purpose is to find a way forward against crime.”
Following pressure from protests and public criticisms, the government has started to take action. A few hours after the protest by the priests, Governor Ugwuanyi summoned an emergency security meeting to discuss possible ways to stop the killings. The army says it has started aerial surveillance of the area where Fr Offu was killed and promised to produce results. But Fr Okorie says this is an “empty promise” as nothing has come out of previous promises.
“We want this to end and the suspects made to face justice for what they’ve done,” Fr Okorie says. “I want to be free and safe in doing God’s work of saving souls in my community.”
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