The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Okeke, has commended the Federal Government for responding promptly to the killing of worshippers at St. Phillip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra.
Okeke gave the commendation when he received a five-member Presidential delegation led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Nnewi on Saturday. He said that the Federal Government had by the gesture, shown that it had the interest of all sections of the country at heart in spite of differences in religion, creed and political affiliations.
He said that the incident claimed the lives of 13 people, while 26 others sustained various degrees of injury. The bishop said that the church had set up a trust fund to assist the victims, adding that the government could as well help in that regard.
He said that the church had forgiven the perpetrators of the heinous act, but added that the government was at liberty to fish them out with a view to bringing them to book. Earlier, Ngige said that the delegation was in the state to condole with the people and government of Anambra.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was much concerned over the incident and that the government would bring the perpetrators to book. “I want to assure you that the Federal Government will do everything to track the perpetrators,” he said. Ngige said that the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the safety of citizens anywhere they were found.
The other ministers in the delegation were Prof. Isaac Adewole, Health; Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs; Prof. Anthony Anwukah, Minister of State for Education and Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, Minister of State for Environment. The delegation also visited St Philips Catholic, the scene of the incident, in Ozubulu. Unknown gunmen had on Aug. 6 invaded the church during morning Mass and opened fire on worshippers. (NAN)
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