Enugu: Security agencies commence aerial surveillance as Catholic priests protest killing of colleague

No fewer than 200 Catholic Priests within the Catholic Diocese of Enugu have protested the killing of their colleague, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, in Enugu State on Friday.
Offu was killed by yet to be identified gunmen, suspected to be armed herdsmen, while travelling on Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state in the evening of Thursday, August 1.
The Police Command in Enugu State confirmed the killing of Fr Offu, Parish Priest of St. James Greater Parish, Ugbawka in Nkanu East Local Government Area.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, gave the confirmation to newsmen on Friday in Enugu
Amaraizu said that the command was yet to identify those who reportedly murdered the priest on Thursday evening.
He pledged that the police was doing everything possible to apprehend those behind the dastardly act.
The spokesman, however, said that it was not right to blame the incident on Fulani herdsmen when the culprits had not been apprehended.
“We are on top of the matter and everything is being done to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident that claimed the life of the priest,” he said.
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu through its facebook link announced the killing of Offu while traveling along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state in the evening of Thursday, August 1, 2019.
The diocese expressed regret that catholic priests have been targeted in the past two months in the state by unidentified gunmen.  
The Catholic priests, who marched peacefully on Friday, passed through major roads within Enugu metropolis on their white official cassock.
They held placards with the various inscriptions such as: “Enough is Enough’’, “Catholic Priests are Targets of Hoodlums’’,  “We Cannot be Living in Fear’’, “Government Must Address Security Challenge in Enugu’’ and “We Are Not Happy with Government’’.
Addressing newsmen on the development, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, said that the protest was to register the displeasure of the diocese at the incessant attacks on Catholic priests by hoodlums in the state, which had lasted for seven years now.
Onaga said that the Catholic priests were simply demanding for more 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 bishop, however, noted that the attack had become unbearable as the diocese lost a priest in March, who was killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
He said that two weeks ago, another priest was shot in the state and “he is still receiving intensive medical attention as we speak’’.
“I am sorrowful and utterly disappointed on the security in the 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.
“Our priests are very much respected and honoured by the people (locals); so if these things can happen to them, what happens to the flock (the people they shepherd?).
“We were shocked to see a priest that joined in our meeting yesterday afternoon in this Bishop’s House very healthy and sound being reported to have died.
“Everybody is so sad, because it is becoming too constant especially within the past six or seven years now; we have suffered serious kidnapping of our priests.
“It is becoming too bad. In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 our priests were kidnapped at various locations in the state.
“Only in 2017, we were given some breathing space. It continued in 2018 and this year, 2019; it is worse as we have suffered the death of a priest in March this year and now another issue,’’ he lamented.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to stem increasing insecurity in Enugu, security agencies will commence joint air surveillance around major forests suspected to be hideout of hoodlums in the state on August 5.
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr Sulaiman Balarabe, disclosed this on Friday after an emergency security meeting with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The meeting followed the killing Rev. Fr. Paul Offu along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
Balarabe said that the joint surveillance would further strengthen the security architecture of the affected areas.
He said that the meeting approved the employment of forest guards as well as strengthened the neighborhood watch groups in the state.
The police commissioner said that the state government and security agencies in the state condemned the killing of the priest.
Balarabe said that the state government had set up a committee on the proliferation of illegal arms, adding that those in possession of illegal weapons had three days to submit them to the committee.
Heads of all military and paramilitary agencies as well as some religious leaders in the state attended the meeting at the Government House, Enugu.
In a related development, the South-East Human Rights Situation Room has expressed worry about the alleged attacks and killing of Catholic priests in Enugu State by gunmen.
The group led by Prof. Joy Ezeilo was reacting to the killing of Rev Fr Paul Offu.
Ezeilo said in Enugu on Friday that the situation was becoming unbearable as residents of the state now live in fear.
“We condemn in strong terms the incessant attacks and killings in Enugu State targetted especially on priests in the state.
“These attacks have reached a threatening level that calls for urgent action and measures to bring them to a halt,’’ she said.
She called on the South East Governors, especially Ugwuanyi, to urgently put necessary measures to stop the rising rate of insecurity in the zone.
Ezeilo also called on security agencies in the state to rise up to their responsibilities and tackle security challenges in the state.