Benue killings: Church fixes May 22 for mass burial

A mass burial will hold on May 22 in Benue State for the victims of Tuesday’s killings during a morning mass.

The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi Very Rev. Fr. Jude Ortese, told reporters yesterday that the 19 victims including two priests – Rev Fr. Joseph Gor and Re. Felix Tyolahan – would be buried at Susugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Ayati,Ikpayongo, Gwer East Local Government Area.

Susugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre is where the Catholic faith often go for prayer retreat.

The centre also serves as rest home for priests.

Fr. Ortese said: “The two priests will be buried with their worshippers and this is significant because they were praying together and seeking lasting solution to the unending killings, which had become a recurring decimal.

He said the Diocese was breaking its rule of burial taking place within 10 days of death because “ the state government is involved in the burial and all the Bishops in Nigeria, including the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, are in Rome to see the Pope and some Bishops may also attend the burial, so there is need to accommodate all stakeholders.”

He called on the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

“We cannot go back to the primitive way of buying weapon to defend ourselves because out of million of Nigerians one person is elected to protect us and the person should perform his constitutional duty” said Fr. Ortese said.

He added that “Nigerians are paying taxes to be protected, so the Federal Government must protect our lives and properties“.

The Director of Social Communications in Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, urged security agencies to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians, particularly those in the middle belt.

Osu, in a statement, said that the killings were not only abominable, but a slap on the entire Christendom and a calculated effort to instigate hatred and create fear in the hearts of Christians.

“Those sponsoring these atrocities are being emboldened daily by the inability of the government and the law enforcement agencies to do the needful.

“The inability of the authorities to take drastic actions against the perpetrators, the country is gradually drifting to a state of anarchy where anything goes.

“Let those in authority beware of a gathering storm. Things are not as they should be. You cannot expect people to fold their arms and watch all they hold sacred being wiped away.

“It is true that Christianity abhors violence, but when a people have been pushed to the wall, the only option left for them is to bounce back.

“They must be reassured that there is no need for them to resort to self-help in order to stay alive. No one has any right to take the lives of others for no just reason,” Osu said.

The cleric wondered why some people attack a group of worshippers in a church early in the morning and hacked them to death.

“What manner of insanity and sadism would make some people open fire on priests celebrating mass in the house of God? What is their offence? Of what use is their death to the perpetrators?

“This is the height of evil and human callousness that should be condemned in its entirety. This is not, and can never be acceptable in any sane society.

“We have lost touch with all that we once considered sacred and divine, for many, their consciences are no more active, they have been polluted and disfigured.

“We all know how Operation Python Dance was swiftly executed in the East, one wonders why the military cannot channel equal zeal to root out these callous killings?

“If they are foreigners, why not unleash all our military arsenal on them, coupled with swift intelligence gathering? Is it that the lives of Nigerians no longer matter? “ he said.