Posted by By DIPO KEHINDE, CHRIS ANUCHA, CHRISTOPHER OJI, RAZAQ BAMIDELE and JULIANA FRANCIS on
Christian and Muslim leaders rose up Wednesday in condemnation of Tuesday's murder of a priest, Rev. Godwin Okwesili, inside the St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, in Lagos, as the church authorities painted a clearer picture of the attack.
Christian and Muslim leaders rose up Wednesday in condemnation of Tuesday's murder of a priest, Rev. Godwin Okwesili, inside the St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, in Lagos, as the church authorities painted a clearer picture of the attack.
Mourning with the Catholics, Sheikh Abraham Ahmad, the National Missioner, Ansar-Deen Society of Nigeria, said: "The dastardly act has shown the level of evil in the world today. It is unfortunate. It is pathetic and it is condemnable for gunmen to walk into a church and gun down a clergyman. It is sad."
Another Islamic leader, Dr Ishaq Akintola, Director Muslim Rights Concern and lecturer, Islamic Studies at the Lagos State University (LASU), said: "The killing of a clergyman in cold blood is a sign that the last days are here. When criminals have no fear for the house of God and have no respect for men of God on whom thousands depend for spiritual guidance, then doomsday is fast approaching."
The Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Olubunmi Anthony Okogie, who visited the church early Wednesday blamed the killing on security lapses in the country.
He said: "Nowhere is safe in Nigeria. The air, road and sea are not safe. The police are not doing their job, the Army and Navy, too. Let the government take security matters in this country seriously because we are not safe at all."
Rev Chris Okotie of the Household of God also condemned the attack, saying, "the truth is glaring. The government has empowered the youths to kill at random by not providing them with job. They now resort to vicious crimes."
A release by the church on the death of Rev Okwesili stated that at 5.45p.m, three young men came to the reception desk of the Priory (Clergy House) in St Dominic's Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos. "One of them had a neatly wrapped parcel, while two had nothing visible with them. There were other people at the reception, both young and old, waiting to be attended to. The parcel holder told the receptionist that one of the priests prayed for their brother who travelled to the United States of America and had sent them to come and thank the priest with the gift. He requested the receptionist to sign that he received the gift, while trying to open the parcel.
"The receptionist agreed to do so after seeing the gift to be sure of what he was receiving. Then suddenly, one of them brought out a pistol and put everybody under arrest at gunpoint. The parcel-holder quickly unfolded the supposed "gift" which turned out to be a very strong rifle.
"Two of the robbers marched all those held hostage to the inner living areas from one floor to another, demanding for the safe. One of the men held hostage escaped into one of the rooms after a vigorous pursuit by one of the killers. His escape must have threatened them, as the other two blamed their colleague for not catching him. In the stampede and commotion that ensued, apparently, Rev Godwin Okwesili came out unsuspectingly to find out why there was so much unusual noise in the house. He was shot dead instantly in front of his room. The robbers traded blames on the shooter: Why did you shoot? Why did you shoot?
"The shooting ended their mission, as they all left immediately. Rev Godwin was dressed in a pair of shorts, bare top and a pair of slippers. He must have been resting on his bed, after a hard day's work. There was nothing to suggest that the killers came specifically for Rev Godwin or any other person, other than money. He practically ran into them, oblivious of their mission. Assassination should, therefore not be imagined."
However, police investigators are not ruling out any possibility as they reasoned that no one would go to a place like that looking for money as the priests are known to be living a simple life, not keeping money or acquiring property.
"Those people have no money, nothing. They only serve God. You can see the low level Nigeria has descended morally," the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ade Ajakaiye, said.
Church members told Daily Sun that the slain reverend was planning to mark his birthday on Saturday, August 6, when he would have clocked 43.
Cardinal Okogie noted that by killing a man of God, the robbers had committed offence against God.
"You don't just start killing people, because life belongs to God," Okogie said, adding that the killing would not deter the Catholic Church from running an open door policy.
And Sheikh Ahmad pointed out that the real causes of acts of criminality can be traced to "the gloomy economic situation, falling standard of living and upon all, lack of fear of God."