JOSHUA BASSEY
Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital was literally brought to its knees today (Monday) as Catholic faithfuls in their thousands marched through the streets in protest against the spate of killings by suspected herdsmen across the country.
The protest which took place simultaneously nationwide, was called by the Catholic authorities in Nigeria and triggered by the massacre of two Catholic priests and 17 others in a church during an early morning mass in Ayar Mbalom community in Gwer East local government area of Benue State on Tuesday, April 24.
The two priests identified as Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha and other worshippers killed were buried today in Benue.
Suspected herdsmen armed with guns had reportedly invaded the church and shot their victims while other worshipers, amid confusion, sustained varying degrees of injuries. The attack was one in the series so far launched against innocent Nigerians, particularly in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna states by suspected herdsmen.
The Federal Government and security agencies have made but little progress in bringing an end to the killings, leaving millions of citizens in perpetually fear, even as farmers in many communities in the middle belt now avoid their farms.
A European reverend father, Eddie Hart Nett, who is stationed in Badagry, but joined the protesters to Ikeja, said the peaceful protest was to draw the attention of the federal and state governments to the growing insecurity in Nigeria.
“We want to tell those in government to wake up to the responsibility of protecting the citizens. That’s why they were elected, and we’re here to make that demand on them. It was not like this in past, and we’re asking what is happening, what’s going on in Nigeria? The revered father queried.
The protesters who were, however, stopped at the entrance gate to Government House, Alausa, Ikeja, were seen placards with inscriptions such as “Life is sacred”, “FGN stop the killings”, “Make Nigeria safe again”.
