Stampede: Catholic Church Fights Back, Condemns Arrest of Rev Father, Others

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, has condemned what he described “verbal demonisation of the Catholic Church” by some agents of government in  responding to the stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, during a palliative distribution exercise.

About ten casualties were recorded during the distribution of palliatives given by St. Vincent de Paul charity arm of the Catholic church.

According to Kaigama, the detention of the priest as well as some officials of the church and the threat to slam criminal charges on the Church “is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.”

The cleric said the government should have been immediately concerned with assisting the Church to explore safety methods to preclude future occurrences in the nation’s earnest desire to do good.

Kaigama, who expressed these views in his Message titled: “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal”, called on Nigerian leaders to avoid greed by ensuring that the wealth and resources of the nation were not hoarded by a few but used to alleviate poverty, improve education, create jobs, and provide affordable healthcare.

He said in the midst of the shadows that loomed large over the nation, he was extending my heartfelt wishes to Nigerians in this Christmas season.

“Christmas this year has come with a poignant blend of joy and solemn reflection, shadowed by tragedies related to the struggle for what to eat in Ibadan, Abuja, Okija, and Suleja.

“We in the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja deeply mourn the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate stampede also in our own Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.

”This incident has left the Archdiocese and the parish community in profound grief, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.

“The verbal demonisation, however, of the Catholic Church by some agents of government responding to the tragedy was needless. They should have been immediately concerned with assisting the Church to explore safety methods to preclude future occurrences in our earnest desire to do good by denying ourselves what we need in order to help others without discrimination.

”The detention of our priest as well as some officials of our church and the threat to slam us with criminal charges is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.”