Crime News
Catholic Priest Murdered By Herdsmen In Enugu Buried Amidst Tears
Catholic Priest Murdered By Herdsmen In Enugu Buried Amidst Tears
Catholic faithfuls as well as Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday, gathered at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, to bid the slain priest, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, a final farewell.
Until his gruesome murder by herdsmen, Fr. Offu, 49, who hailed from Okpatu in the Udi Local Government Area of the state, was the Parish Priest of the St. James The Great Church, Ugbawka, in the Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
Offu’s corpse was brought to the church premises around 9am, where he was buried after a requiem mass officiated by the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Calistus Onaga.
Onaga said the death of the priest had sent a message not just to the people of Enugu State, but to the entire country and the world.
The bishop charged Christians and all Nigerians to realise that the responsibility for security of the country was not just for those in power, but for everybody.
While commending the governor and the security agencies for their efforts in arresting the killer herdsmen, Onaga pointed out that God answered the prayers of Christians on the priest’s murder.
He advised priests and residents of the state to avoid unnecessary movement after 6pm.
“Those who killed Fr Paul Offu have been caught. Not only that, those who killed Fr. Clement earlier have been caught as well. God is answering our prayers. Mr Governor, thank you so much, we are praying for you too and we shall continue to work together,” the bishop stated.
In a sermon, the Parish Priest of the Holy Innocent Parish, Amagunze, Nkanu East, Very Rev. Fr. Sylvester Nwodo, lamented the continuous attack on priests, saying the diocese had to bid farewell to another priest some weeks earlier.
He described Fr Offu as an active pastoral priest, a game changer, a man of charisma and a soul winner for God.
In attendance were Bishop of the Awgu Diocese, Most Rev. John Okoye , who offered prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased; Bishop of the Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah; and other bishops and priests as well as the deputy governor of the state, members of the National Assembly from the state and the 17 local government council chairmen in the state.
Metu Nyetu
August 21, 2019 at 7:14 AM
WHICH WAY NIGERIA????? LIFE IS now worthless, and blood has lost its sanctity under the nose of PMB. This is disheartening.
ANOTHER SAD THING IN THIS FUNERAL IS the absence of other eminent clerics from other denominations. I think that this shouldn’t have been left as a Roman Catholic affair. An attack on any clergyman is an attack on the whole noble office.
RESQUIESCAT IN PACÉ!
ademola
August 22, 2019 at 7:37 AM
Pass correct information . Police confirmed that this man was killed by Armed Robber and not herdsmen as claimed
mulikat
August 22, 2019 at 7:41 AM
where is the ibo people,calling yoruba names, if fulanis herdsmen, kill 1 of us.today again,so sad, another innocent ibo priest kill by fulanis, so we should join hands together to free ourself from this so call force nation nigeria.and face any of our leaders who invite them, or cover up ,those are the first to be kill b4, fulanis herdmens. we should stop talk , we to get ak47, is naija amry that sale it for them, i read in news, is from 400-800 k for 1 ,ak47, eye to eye, from their, they will move back to north.they have more land in north,than SW,SE ,and SS ,they invite more new fulanis in allover west africa to come inn, let them welcome them in their own far north. we have nothing in common,than this useless grenn passport that join us, by God power, we shall go our seperate way,if USSR and Ex Yougoslavia countrys, can do that, who they have same tradition, language and religion, why not naija, we have nothing in commom with fulanis.