Church Decries Destruction Of Statues In Enugu

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu, has decried the recent destruction of statues in some of its churches in the diocese.

The Director of Communication in the diocese, Rev. Fr. Joseph Offor, said in Enugu on Tuesday that three churches had been attacked in the past one month.

The churches are Seat of Wisdom Parish, Abakpa Nike, St. Leo Catholic Church, Federal Housing Estate and St. Mary Catholic Church, Trans-Ekulu.

Offor described the attacks as ‘unfortunate,’ wondering the motive of the people carrying out the nefarious act.

“Sometime ago, in October, the Vicar General of the diocese, Monsignor Luke Adike complained that unknown people invaded the church, Seat of Wisdom Parish, Abakpa Nike, around 1 a.m.

“In the morning, he went into the church, and he saw that all the statues, that of the Sacred Heart, the Virgin Mary and every other thing in the altar had been destroyed by these hoodlums,” he said.

“They also left a message that they should stop worshipping idols. “The messages they pasted on the walls read: ‘The 10 commandments of the Lord, the Almighty Lord says, stop worshipping idols, false gods made by man. I tolerate no rivals.

“Worship only but the living God, the Almighty God,’’ he added.

Offor said that on November 4 and November 11, a similar incident happened at St. Leo and St Mary, destroying the statues and the altar while also leaving a similar message.

The cleric said the matter had been reported to the police, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Musa Daura, had visited the affected churches.

He said the Bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, had issued a circular urging the parishes and parishioners to be security conscious.

Offor said the diocese had also purchased scanning gadgets to improve the operations of its security men.

The director said the church was not suspecting anybody or group until arrests had been made.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said the command had commenced investigation into the matter, but that no arrests had been made.

Amarizu said the command had posted security agents to monitor churches in the state.

He appealed to the general public to assist the police with information on the activities of suspected persons in their areas.