….Say it’s barbaric, inhuman, satanic
The killing
of worshippers at St. Philips Catholic, Amakwa Ozulubu community in
Ekwusigo Local Government Area in Anambra State, has continued to
generate more condemnation.
Ekiti State
Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has commiserated with the Catholic Church
in Nigeria, the government and people of Anambra State as well as
families of victims of the church shooting yesterday in Ozubulu,
describing the killers as wicked and devilish.
In a statement
issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose called on the
police and other security agencies to carry out thorough investigations
on the killings with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
The governor said:
“Killing fellow human beings is devilish, not to talk of killings in the
house of God. I condemn the Ozubulu murder in its entirety. It is time
for us as a nation to have another look at our moral values. Where did
we get it so wrong that we now kill one another at will?
“Boko Haram killings
in the North East, Badoo killings in Lagos, Fulani herdsmen killings
across the country, ritual killings everywhere, and now drug war, what’s
wrong with us as a people? Why is it that we no longer value human
life? Methinks there is urgent need for leaders of this country to take
the issue of moral values reorientation of the citizens seriously.”
The South-East Caucus in the House of the Representatives described the killing of parishioners at St. Philips Catholic Church as wicked and unacceptable.
Leader of the
caucus, Chukwuka Onyema, in a personally signed statement issued in
Abuja, called on security agencies to ensure that all those connected
to the heinous crime are quickly apprehended and charged to court.
Onyema, who is also
the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, stressed that, “the devilish
and unwholesome murder of innocent worshippers in a church, where they
went to seek the face of God, is highly reprehensible and is a case that
must be properly investigated to speedily restore the people’s
confidence of their safety.”
The lawmaker, on
behalf of the caucus, commiserated with the families of the deceased and
prayed for quick recovery of the victims.
He sought that all
those who could assist the security agencies with information to solve
the crime should do so in honour of the dead and to keep the community
safe.
Onyema equally
extended his condolences to the government of Anambra State, Nigeria and
the Catholic Church over the sad and unfortunate incident.
Alarmed by the
killings, organised labour and other groups such IPOB and CLO, among
others, have demanded that the culprits should be brought to book.
In separate
statements, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress
(TUC) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG) urged security operatives to thoroughly investigate the
incident in order to uncover the perpetrators.
NLC president, Ayuba
Wabba, said the massacre was shocking, bizarre and reprehensible, and
represented a descent into the pit of hell.
“Places of worship
quite often in decent conflicts are sanctuaries. What makes this attack
more confounding is the fact that Ozubulu is far removed from any known
theatre of conflict at the moment and has had little or no history of
violent conflict,” he said.
Wabba was
dumbfounded by the attack and said that it was animalistic, cowardly and
shameful. He called for steps by security forces to bring the
perpetrators to book.
He also expressed
the union’s condolences to the families of the victims, the Catholic
Church, Governor Willie Obiano and the people of Anambra State.
While urging
security agencies to step up security in and around places of worship,
the labour leader similarly urged worshippers to take the initiative of
securing their premises.
The TUC, in its
statement jointly signed by the president, Bobboi Bala Kaigama,
and Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozidi, said the shooting should be
seen beyond a mere attack.
“This is a bad
signal, considering the fact that campaigns and elections in the state
will commence soon. This development is unfortunate and a testimony to
the fact that the security operatives have so much work to do before and
after the elections. We must consider that the incident portrays the
country in bad light before the international community. It is
heartbreaking that some Nigerians no longer have regard for human life,”
the TUC said.
It called on
government at all levels to focus on good governance and job creation,
as they remain the only way the nation can get most of the youths
reasonably engaged.
The NUPENG
president, Igwe Achese, stating that the killing was one too many, noted
that the murder of innocent worshippers in a house of God was a
national disgrace and embarrassment, as if Nigerians have no fear of God
at heart.
He said NUPENG was
worried that people could be so wicked as to bring settle personal
scores and cause mayhem in the house of God.
Achese charged the
Federal Government to be more proactive and re-strategise for more
intelligence and rapid response to such incidents in order to avert
disasters.
He reiterated that
one of the major challenges facing the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration was the issue of security, where it seems that human life
no longer has any meaning.
“We want all hands
to be on deck as security matter is everybody’s business, we also call
on the International Police (Interpol) to help in bringing sponsors of
such killings to face the music,” he said.
President of NUF and
SNPM, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum, described the killings as barbaric,
satanic, sacrilegious and inhuman such that it called for sober
reflection due to the level of moral decay in the society.
“It is satanic and
shows that people no longer fear God; this is time for sober reflection,
our society has decayed to the extent that moral has vanish. What on
earth will provoke people going to the house of God to kill? We hereby
call on the police to arrest those involved in this genocide against God
and humanity, they will never go unpunished, no matter how connected
they are, the full wrath of justice must be enforced.
“This kind of thing
shall not be treated in the Nigerian way that is full of corruption. The
federal and state governments must give the victims a befitting burial
and the families fully compensated with a minimum of N20 million each
because it the duty of the government to protect life and property,”
Chukwudum said.
In his reaction, the
Anambra State chapter chairman of the CLO, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme,
shad that the attack was a devilish and barbaric terror attack, that was
not only anathema but despicable, inhuman, most painful and an act of
terrorism.
Ezekwueme called on security agents to fish out the culprits and make them face the wrath of law.
“I wish to
commiserate with the families of the bereaved, Bishop Hillary Okeke and
St. Philips Catholic Church and Ozulubu community, may God forgive the
deceased and accept their souls into His Kingdom,” he said.
Nigeria Ethnic
Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF) described it as wicked. In a
statement signed by the acting national chairman of the forum, Imoh
Okoko, in Abuja, the group said that the attackers could have sought
other lawful ways of resolving their differences instead of taking their
grievances to the church.
“We hereby condemn
this high level of killings of innocent worshipers in the sanctuary of
the Almighty God, which is supposed to be a sacred place and a refuge to
all manner of people who enter it,” he said.
The invaders of the
church have shamelessly turned the House of God into the theatre of war
which is against the Christian faith no matter the provocation.
“Irrespective of
what must have transpired in their business environment, there are law
enforcement agents as well as law court to handle such grievances, the
killers should have sought legal means rather than embark on mass murder
in the church. It is indeed a terror attack on the defenceless
Christians in their holy place of worship.”
Also in his reaction, the state Chairman of CLO, Vincent Ezekwueme said the attack was not only anathema but despicable, most painful and act of terrorism.
He called on security agents to fish out the culprits and make them face the wrath of law.
Also, the United
Progressives Party (UPP) National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie urged
the Catholic faithful, and indeed, all Christians in Ozubulu to remain
prayerful, courageous and resolute in their service to God and humanity,
assuring that their labour in the vineyard of the Lord will not be in
vain.
“We urge security
agents to fish out the assailants and their sponsors and bring them to
book to serve as a deterrent to those who would contemplate this heinous
crime against fellow compatriots. This madness must stop,” Okorie said.
From Izon Ware in
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, in a
statement by its president, Pereotubo Roland oweilaemi expressed shock
at the attack that reportedly led to the death of 11 persons.
“It is sad that
human life has become so worthless in the sight of some of our fellow
humans that they now kill people like flies.”
“Our heartfelt
empathy goes out to the families of the victims, the people of Ozubulu,
Anambra State and the entire Igbo nation over this classic case of man’s
inhumanity to fellow men at a time when the country is grappling with
terrorism.
“No individual or
group should be allowed to get away with taking the lives of their
fellow humans. Until we restore the dignity and sanctity of human life,
this country will drift into anarchy”.
“We are therefore
calling on the Nigerian security agencies, the Anambra Government, the
Federal Government and the people of Ozubulu to leave no stone unturned
until the perpetrators of this wicked massacre are fished out and
punished for their evil crimes.” He said.
Also speaking, a
Niger Delta right activist, Sheriff Mulade said the killing has
portrayed the nation in bad light, noting that the only saving grace to
redeem the image of the country was to ensure that the incident was not
swept under the carpet.
Mulade who is the
National Coordinator of Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice
(CEPEJ) condoled relations of the victims and those injured and
commended the Governor of Anambra State, willie Obiano for promising to
foot the medical bills of those injured.
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