Kaduna crisis: Archbishop pays solidarity visit to Kafanchan diocese, donates N20m

Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, has donated N20 million to the Bishop and the entire laity of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan.
According to a statement signed by Rev. Fr. Chris Anyanwu, the Director of Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, on Tuesday in Abuja, Kaigama visited Most Rev. Joseph Bagobiri on the platform of CBCN.
The CBCN President was accompanied by Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, Secretary General of CSN; Rev Fr. Zachariah Zamjummi, Deputy Secretary General, CSN; as well as Anyanwu.
He noted that the visit was to specifically see Bagobiri, who had been hospitalised for over six months on ground of ill health, and also to commiserate with Kafanchan Diocese.
Kaigama also used the medium to commiserate with the entire people of Southern Kaduna for the unfortunate crisis that had for so long engulfed the area.
He said: “We have come on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on a two-fold mission. Firstly, to see you since you came back from your medical trip abroad.
“You have been the focal point of our prayers and masses for a long time. We are happy that you are fairly okay now and you are responding to treatment.
“It is our prayer that God will renew your energy and grant you total healing.
“We commiserate with you and laity of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan on the unfortunate crisis that has befallen your Diocese and the people of Southern Kaduna in general.’’
He called on Christians to always believe in prayers for it was the only power they had to make an appeal to God.
The CBCN President, who is also the Archbishop of Jos, made a prophetic reassurance of the end of the Southern Kaduna conflict in no distant time.
According to him, we have equally come to announce the good tiding of our faith and conviction that the crisis and violence in Southern Kaduna will become a thing of the past.
Kaigama said: “It will end in the power of the God who makes the impossibility to be possible.”
In his remarks, Bagobiri expressed gratitude for the visit of the CBCN President and his entourage.
Bagobiri said: “Thank you for your presence and kind words of encouragement. You have exhibited a visionary leadership since your election as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
“You have equally touched every aspect of lives that affects the Church and the society.
“I am able to be here today because of your collective prayers. Many of the Bishops have also visited me while I was away on my medical trip.
“I am particularly touched by the spirit of solidarity exhibited by CBCN towards me as a person and the Catholic diocese of Kafanchan since the crisis that engulfed the people of Southern Kaduna.”
On his part, Rev Fr. Ibrahim Yakubu, the Vicar General of Kafanchan Diocese, also extended his thanks to the CBCN President for what he described as a historic visit.
Yakubu said: “We are honored with this historic visit of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria. We thank God for the initiative of this visit as well as your financial support.
“There is a persecution that can bring down the church and there is another persecution that can bring up the church.
“Our people will come back from this crisis to regain their land and be stronger in their faith.
“We also thank God that our bishop who has been sick is with us today after his absence in the Diocese for almost six months.’’
Yakubu prayed that the Lord would continue to strengthen the faithful even in the midst of provocation and persecution and also prayed for God’s protection and journey mercy.