Over 200 Muslim Youths Run Amok, Destroy Catholic Church near Abuja

By Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja

A few days after a female pastor in the Redeem Christian Church of God, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, was brutally killed by suspected Muslim extremists, a group of another Muslim youths yesterday attacked St. Philip’s Catholic Parish, Baki Iku, close to Zuma Rock in Niger State, destroying properties worth thousands of naira.

The Vicar-General of Parish, Revered-Father Gobep Luka Sylvester, who confirmed the news to THISDAY last night said about 200 Muslim youths stormed the Church premises yesterday and destroyed properties of the church.

THISDAY gathered that some Catholics had gone to the church to pray and were attacked by the Muslims who claimed that Fridaywas their day of prayer and that the Church only had right to worship on Sundays.

Revered Father Sylvester told THISDAY last night that although he was not around when the incident happened, he was told that some Muslim youths numbering about 200 came to the Church and started destroying the church’s properties, saying the security men in the church premises were seriously injured.

According to him, ‘’Sometime around 2pm, some Muslim youths in numbering 200 left their Mosque after their Friday Jumat prayer and rushed to the Church premises, climbed the wall and destroyed everything in the Church: the windows, the alter, musical instruments, the chapel.

’The security man in the church premises was beaten to pulp. Some women who were holding a prayer meeting were chased away. The seminarian who is resident in the premises was also beaten up and chased away.”

He said the incident had been reported to the police and they claimed to have made some arrest and promised to investigate the matter.

In 2012, Alhaji Kabiru Sokoto — suspected member of terrorist group, Boko Haram, on Christmas day, detonated bomb that killed several Catholics and passers-by at St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, close to St. Philips that was destroyed yesterday.

The Revered Father added, “Just last week, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, a mobile preacher of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was killed by some fanatical Muslims in Kubwa, FCT. How long are we going to continue like this?