Mrs. Eunice Olawale, was brutally killed by suspected Muslim extremists,
a group of another Muslim youths yesterday attacked St. Philip’s
Catholic Parish, Baki Iku, close to Zuma Rock in Niger State, destroying
properties worth thousands of naira.
The Vicar-General of Parish, Revered-Father Gobep Luka Sylvester, who
confirmed the news to THISDAY last night said about 200 Muslim youths
stormed the Church premises yesterday and destroyed properties of the
church.
ThisDay was told some Catholics had gone to the church to pray and were
attacked by the Muslims who claimed that Friday was their day of prayer
and that the Church only had right to worship on Sundays.
Revered Father Sylvester told THISDAY last night that although he was not around when the
incident happened, he was told that some Muslim
youths numbering about 200 came to the Church and started destroying the
church’s properties, saying the security men in the church premises
were seriously injured.
According to him:
‘’Sometime around 2pm, some Muslim youths in numbering 200 left their
Mosque after their Friday Jumat prayer and rushed to the Church
premises, climbed the wall and destroyed everything in the Church: the
windows, the alter, musical instruments, the chapel.
’The security man in the church premises was beaten to pulp. Some women
who were holding a prayer meeting were chased away. The seminarian who
is resident in the premises was also beaten up and chased away.”
He said the incident had been reported to the police and they claimed to
have made some arrest and promised to investigate the matter.
In 2012, Alhaji Kabiru Sokoto — suspected member of terrorist group,
Boko Haram, on Christmas day, detonated bomb that killed several
Catholics and passers-by at St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, close
to St. Philips that was destroyed yesterday.
The Revered Father added,
“Just last week, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, a mobile preacher of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God was killed by some fanatical Muslims in Kubwa,
FCT. How long are we going to continue like this?
Photo credit: Martins Edoka Amana