Two Catholic Priests Escape Death As Hoodlums Set Parish House on Fire

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines Tuesday, December 24th, 2013

Two priests attached to Our lady’s Catholic church Nkpor, in Idemili North local Government Area of Anambra State, monday narrowly escaped death, as some suspected armed bandits set ablaze the Parish House as well as its boys quarter, located inside an industrial centre owned by the church.

Reacting to the ugly incident, the parish priest, Rev Father Martin Onukwuba, said himself and the Resident Priest, Rev Father Ben Oguejiofor “escaped death by the whiskers, saying that some of the parishioners that witnessed the attack are yet to know how both priests escaped.

The cleric, expressed the hope that the perpetrators of the inhuman act, would be brought to justice no matter how highly placed.

Hear him: “I don’t know when we will be back to the house again because the destruction is too much. We can’t live here for now”he declared.

On reports that some of the perpetrators of the heinous crime have been arrested by the police, the priest, dismissed such claims, saying “those hoodlums who attacked us are yet to be arrested, those arrested were mere workers at the bakery now that our lawyer has taken up the matter there is no cause for alarm”. He stated.

However, Counsel to the church, Barrister C.J Asiegbu, is pointing accusing finger on the proprietress and management of the industrial centre whom he disclosed had been in court with the church prior to the incident over ownership of the church premises.

Also speaking, the Resident priest, Rev. father Oguejiofor, who scaled the fence when the attackers arrived, described the act as a sacrilege, asking members of the church who were beaten up mercilessly by the hoodlums to take heart and declined further comment as father Onukwuba is holding brief for both of them. He said.

The clergymen, said Properties valued several millions of naira were destroyed during the inferno, just as some saved items and personal effects of the men of God were seen being transferred to another parish.

Some of the Items destroyed in the fire are, electrical appliances, chairs, tables, books, cooking utensils, plates, clothes, amongst others. When contacted on the incident, the Ogidi Divisional police officer, DPO, Mr. Abdul Yusurf, confirmed the barbaric act, disclosing that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.