Catholic faithful all over the country yesterday staged a prayer and peaceful protest in solidarity with the faithful in Benue state as they bury the two priests and fifteen faithful killed in Mbalam, Gwer East of Benue state.
In Awka, parishioners under the Diocese in a rosary procession matched from their various parishes to St Patrick’s cathedral where the prayer match was concluded.
The faithful carried placards with inscriptions like “life is sacred, why all the killings, "why the hatred in the country", "let peace reign again in this country among others".
The catholic faithful including the Mary League Association, Catholic Women Organization, Knights and Ladies of the church among others adorned in their various uniforms as they engage in the prayer protest.
Speaking shortly after the peaceful match at St Patrick cathedral, the Chancellor of Awka Diocese, Reverend Father Francis Chidiume said the catholic church in Nigeria according to directives by the Bishop Conference of Nigeria matched against the killing of innocent citizens in Nigeria with reference to Benue state were Catholic faithful were killed during a mass.
Reverend Father Chidiume lamented that federal government has not responded appropriately to what is happening, especially the Benue killings , thus the reason for the prayer to invoke the intervention of God against the serious insecurity of life and property of Nigerian citizens.
At St Mary’s Catholic Church Alor in Idemili South Council Area, the Parish Priest Reverend father Martin Onukwuba who is also the President, Regional Priests of West Africa spoke on the sacredness of life and the need to preserve it and expressed dismay over the spate of killings in the country.
He urged federal government to take drastic measures to address the security challenges bedeviling the country.
The prayer match ended with a holy mass.
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