THE police in Enugu State have paraded suspected killers of two Catholic priests of Enugu Diocese.
This is just as yet another Catholic priest came within the whiskers of death as he ran into a shooting by unidentified gunmen.
Two Catholic priests, Reverend Father Clement Ugwu, and Reverend Father Paul Offu, were killed on March 14 and August 1, 2019 respectively by gunmen.
While Fr. Offu was killed by Fulani herdsmen on August 1, 2019 at a location on Ihe-Agbude road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, Fr. Ugwu Parish priest of St. Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Government Area of the State was kidnapped and was killed by his abductors on March 14, 2019.
The Police Commissioner, Enugu Command, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe, who paraded the suspected killers of the priests alongside 30 other criminal suspects, said the command had devised measures to protect Catholic priests from such incidents in the future.
Balarabe said one Ibrahim Adamu, aged 25 years, from Taraba State and Idris Tobe, 28 years were arrested in connection with the killing of Father Offu, while three other suspects were still at large.
The Commissioner also said that one Idris Umaru was arrested for the kidnap and murder of Secretary of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, who was killed in March 2019.
On the kidnap of Igwe Sunday Orji and his wife, the Commissioner said that three suspects, Garba Basulugu, Mohammed Lagu and Mojunpan Duna were arrested in connection with this case.
While fielding questions from journalists, Balarabe said those who attacked Ftaher Ani would soon be arrested as his men were already after the hoodlums.
The police also paraded the suspected kidnappers of the traditional ruler of Obom-Agbogugu community in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, Igwe Sunday Orji and his wife who were kidnapped on Sunday August 3, 2019 at the Enugu – Port-Harcourt Expressway.
In a related development, another Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Chimezie Ani, narrowly escaped death on Thursday at Ugwuomu road, after Caritas University.
The gunmen, who were said to have been chasing another vehicle when Father Ani’s car ran into them, had his vehicle riddled with bullets and windscreen shattered.
Father Ani told newsmen on Friday that he was grateful to God for His mercy and protection.
According to him, “the attack happened after Caritas University towards Ugwuomu that I ran into them firing at the SUV in my opposite direction but miraculously I drove in reverse for a very long distance before turning.”
Confirming the incident, the Director of Communications, Enugu Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, said “Yes, the incident happened along Ugwuomu road as you heard. We are very grateful to God that he was not harmed, he was able to navigate on reverse to a safe distance.”
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