The Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN) has called on the federal government and security agencies to end the continuous murder of priests and other Nigerians.
The National President of the council,
Sir Henry Yunkwap, made the call in a statement on yesterday in Jos, describing the killings as ”barbaric and senseless.”
According to him, priests have become soft targets of the criminals and they sacrificed their lives for the service of God and humanity.
”We the members of the CLCN are completely saddened and find it very painful to once again address the soaring issue of insecurity in our nation.
”Less than one month ago we issued a press statement over the June 5, unprovoked, brutal attack and massacre of Catholic worshippers in
Owo, where 40 unarmed Nigerians including women and children lost their lives, and many more were badly wounded.
”We condemned the barbaric act and called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, arrest the perpetrators and address the issue of insecurity in the nation.
”While waiting for the government response, the situation keeps deteriorating as our church and priests are now the soft target of these dare devils.
”Unfortunately, even now, many Nigerians, including priests, are still with their abductors.
”We strongly believe that this government is too intelligent not to know what is happening; as such they owe Nigerians an explanation as what is happening and why the Catholic Church and priests have become targets,” he said.
Yunkwap called on Catholics, all Christians and men and women of goodwill, to rise to occassion and demand for accountability from the leaders, adding that they must be seen taking action against this evil murderers, rather than merely sitting at their comfort zones issuing condolence messages.
He extended the sympathy of the council to the Bishops, Priests and the Laity of Kaduna and Auchi Dioceses who recently lost their priests in the hands of those bandits.
