No fewer than 10,000 Catholic faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka from different parishes on Tuesday defiled the early morning downpour to protest herdsmen’s killings across the country.
They, comprising men, women, youths as well as school children defiled the downpour in Nsukka town that lasted over two hours to embark other peaceful protest.
They marched round major streets starting from St Theresa’s Cathedral to Nsukka Local Government Council Secretariat.
Some of the placards carried during the protest read:”Enough is enough of this herdsmen killing across the country”, “Life is scared and no one has right to take the life of another”, “Government should rise up to protect lives and property”.
Bishop Godfrey Onah of Nsukka Catholic diocese was represented by Rev Fr Uche Nnamani, the diocesan Vicar-General.
He said the protest was to show their dissatisfaction over the worsening security situation as the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria had already expressed.
Nnamani said: “We are sad, angry as we are totally exposed and vulnerable to insecurity.
“We feel like taking to violence in defense of ourselves and to let those who feel they have the right to violence to know that none has the monopoly of violence.
“But as law abiding citizens, we do not want to exercise the power we handed over to government and the rest of our leaders to exercise on our behalf.”
Nnamani said the protest was also to condemn the killings of two Catholic priests and 17 others on Tuesday, April 24, at St Ignatius Catholic parish, Quasi Mbalomo in Gwer LGA of Benue State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the deceased were buried on Tuesday after a require mass.
Nnamani said that his Bishop and some priests had traveled to Benue State for the burial.
He said: “We are using this protest to express our grievances over the cold murder of our Catholic members.
“We closed all Catholic schools in the diocese and defiled this morning downpour to show the pain and sorrow in our hearts.”
Patrick Omeje, the Chairman of Nsukka LGA, received the protesters on behalf of the council.
He said that he was pained at heart over the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen across the country and mainly that of Benue State.
Omeje said: “We are indeed in a perilous period in which the lives and survival of cows are valued more than human life by killer herdsmen.
“It is unfortunate that the battle between herdsmen and farmers are no longer in farmland but in sactuary of God.
“I join millions of Catholics all over the world to ask if our worship centres have become pastures to feed cows.”
The council boss commended the peaceful nature of the protest and assured the Catholic faithful that he would forward the message to higher authorities.
He said: “I commend you for the peaceful protest and promised you that you message will be forwarded to the high authority for prompt action.
“Nigerians should continue to pray to God to intervene in the security situation in the country as every power belongs to God.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that hundreds of Catholic faithful including priests, reverend sisters and seminarians participated in the protest.