This
is not the best of times for churches and pastors in parts of Nigeria,
particularly in Anambra State. Call it signs of the end tme and one is
not far from the truth. Hitherto sacred places often dreaded even by
everyone are now targets of daredevil robbers.
There is a slogan right now in the state which says, “One Sunday, one church robbery”.
In
the last two weeks in Anambra State, armed robbers have invaded about
three churches at odd hours leaving sorrow and tears in their trail.
The
Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, worried over
the unusual development, has initiated a prayer programme in the
archdiocese for the repentance of criminals who are harassing and
attacking churches in Onitsha and beyond. The Archbishop has enjoined
the faithful to say the prayers with dedication and commitment so that
robbery attacks in the parishes will end.
First to host the
unwanted visitors was St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, Egbo,
Uruagu, Nnewi. The robbers had stormed the parish rectory about 1 am on
Sunday night and held the priest and other residents hostage for over
one hour. At the end of the invasion, they made away with an unspecified
amount of cash and a bus belonging to the parish choir.
According
to sources, the robbers numbering about 10 gained access to the main
building by cutting the burglary proof bars on one of the windows in the
parlour. They had earlier tied the hands of the security men before
they went to the place where drivers and seminarians were sleeping,
meted the same treatment to them and went further to collect the car
keys and proceeded to the area where the parish priest and other priests
were staying.
When they entered they saw a priest and ordered
him to show them the parish priest’s flat and he complied immediately.
Finding it difficult to enter through the door, they gained access
through the ceiling. The robbers immediately pointed their guns at the
parish priest, barking orders at him to bring all the money in the house
including the Sunday offering.The priest surrendered everything to
them.