NCDPA called on their brother the governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia to use the overwhelming mandate he received from the masses and stop the ethnic cleansing of Tiv people
By Austin Angwe
Members of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association, NCDPA, Makurdi Diocese, have condemned the recent gruesome attacks on their brothers and sisters including Reverend Father Solomon Atongo, the priest in charge of St John’s Quasi Parish Jimba as well as the coordinated violence unleashed on the communities of Orbiam, Ahume, Jimba, Nagi- camp, Aondoana, Yelewata and Abagena where 50 people have been confirmed dead.
The priests who made their condemnation during a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Reverend Father Joseph Beba and Secretary, Bartholomew Ishorkua, held Sunday in Makurdi at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral after their usual general meeting at Divine Mercy Quasi Parish, Howe, described the killings as inhumane, barbaric, and a gross violation of the sanctity and dignity of human life.
NCDPA called on their brother the governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia to use the overwhelming mandate he received from the masses and stop the ethnic cleansing of Tiv people by these terrorists herdsmen.
They said failure to be decisive in coordinating and directly confronting these terrorists and their master minders to bring to an end the persistent bloodshed and injustice on weak and defenseless masses in the villages, would be seen as indifference or insensitivity, describing silence as to die twice.
The priests who described Governor Alia’s victory as their victory, and his failure their failure, called on President Bola Tinubu to declare total war against the terrorists, who Governor Hyacinth Alia has earlier identified as non-Nigerians, but have besieged Benue and Nigeria, and have also continued to undermine the country’s integrity.
The Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priest Association, equally observed with dismay the low energy displayed by the Nigerian Army stationed at some of these affected areas, lamenting with regret that their inability to stop the attacks or go after the terrorists, betrays professionalism, and this speaks complicity.
They argued that the attack and shooting of Reverend Father Solomon Atongo on May 24 took place 3 Kilometers away from Naka, and less than 500meters away from the army check point at Tse Orbiam, while another one later, on the community itself without any help or intervention from the army despite several cries for help from the villagers, insisting that the attacks are a direct attack on Bishop Anagbe and the Catholic Church he represents.
They said the priest in charge of the mission at Aondoana, Reverend Father Peter Shima, VC and the Claretian Sisters had to run into the bush for safety as they are yet to recover from the trauma, adding that many people, including a two-year-old and a pregnant woman were gruesomely murdered.