The Catholic Bishops of Lagos Ecclesiastical Province have expressed worries over the spate of violent crimes and “senseless killings” across the country.
The Province, comprising of the Archdiocese of Lagos and the Dioceses of Ijebu Ode and Abeokuta respectively, also condemned the killing of a Catholic priest in Abeokuta by unknown gunmen.
A statement issued at the end of its first meeting of the year, held at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, and signed by the Chairman of Forum, Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina, and Secretary, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, called on government to put an end to killings and violence across the country.
The meeting was attended by the leadership and representatives of the Clergy, the Consecrated persons and the various associations of the Lay Faithful who gave reports of their activities for the previous year under review.
The statement: “After careful deliberation on issues affecting the church in the Province and the state of affairs in our country, Nigeria, we hereby regret to note that despite the wide outcry of condemnation that has greeted the continuous senseless killings of innocent lives and other waves of violence across the country, it is far from being abated.
“For instance, in the wake of the 2022 New Year, a priest of the Diocese of Abeokuta, Rev. Fr. Luke Adeleke, was killed by unknown gunmen while carrying out his priestly activities. Very recently, it was reported that in Taraba State, a Catholic Church was razed to the ground for no reason.
“These and numerous other cases of violence have been the hallmark of our nation. How long would these be allowed to continue? We will continue to call on the government to utilize all the state resources at their disposal to put an end to these dastardly acts of killing and violence across the country before it consumes everyone.”
