Suleja Holds Memorial Service For Bomb Victims

Security was massive and tight yesterday in Suleja as the All Christians Fellowship Mission held a memorial service for its three members who died in a bomb explosion.

Our correspondent reports that the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of `A’ Division, Suleja, Mr Bassey Effiong, led the officers who formed part of the security group.

The officers screened church members and all others who were either invited or had a mission at the service, conducting the screening some metres away from the church.

“We must check everybody, even the members. We are not looking at faces. Experiences have shown that security goes beyond that, as anybody could be used as agent of destruction,” Effiong said.

The church authorities also carried out instructions of the Acting Governor of Niger to remove a refuse dump close to the church premises.

Also, a pathway leading to the church office, usually plied by motorcycles, has been blocked, leaving only the main gate as the entrance to the church.

In a sermon anchored on Romans chapter 28 verse 32 to verse 39, Rev. William Okoye, the church’s General Overseer, urged the worshipers to remain grateful to God.

“You should give thanks to God in all things, notwithstanding what might have happened to them. All things work together for good to those who love God. “If we serve Him, no matter what happens, God will turn it around to serve a purpose. “There is nothing that happens that is hidden from God, for He knows what happened to this church last Sunday from the foundation of the world because He is the Almighty,” he said.

Okoye, however, consoled the church members, assuring them that proper arrangements had been made to guard against a possible recurrence of the bomb explosion.

Speaking later to our correspondent, one of the church members, Rev. Godwin Umeh, described last week’s explosion as very unfortunate.

He said the church had lost dedicated and faithful members.

Also, a chorister in the church, Mrs Florence Okoro, said that the church members did not expect such a blast especially on a Sunday. “But, as a Christian, I believe the deceased had gone to rest eternally,” she said.

It would be reacalled that a bomb explosion rocked the church premises on July 10, claiming the lives of three of the church members.

The deceased are Mrs Theresa Ogbogu, 51, who was the Chairman of the church’s Mission Support Team, Miss Ifeyinwa Ogubuike, 38, and Mr John Edward, 22.