Posted by By BONIFACE NZAMA, Calabar on
Once again, the Catholic church has witnessed the desecration of its premises as armed robbers struck at St. Charles Parish, Obudu, Cross River State.
Once again, the Catholic church has witnessed the desecration of its premises as armed robbers struck at St. Charles Parish, Obudu, Cross River State.
In the latest attack, the hoodlums descended on the Reverend Sisters who were beaten to pulp and their habits (official long gowns) torn to shreds.
And the attack by the evil men on the parish was the 15th in five years, according to the parish priest, Rev. Father Emmanuel Odey.
Rev. Father Odey, said the armed robbers reportedly invaded the nuns' quarters between 1am and 2am.
The Priest further disclosed that the church's safe was carted away by the robbers, alongside other items like cameras, wrist watches and radio sets.
"The robbers were armed with teargas, shotguns, machetes and other dangerous weapons," Rev. Father Odey said.
"It is believed that robbers buy rifles and bullets from the market but what baffles me is the teargas. It is surprising that armed robbers now have access to teargas."
Following the ugly incident, the Reverend Sisters have deserted the church premises and relocated to neighbouring parishes.
Noting that Obudu is a strategic tourist centre, Rev. Father Odey appealed to the government "to do something urgently to stop these miscreants from terrorising innocent people.
"The news about Obudu has become so terrible that most people and tourists may not want to visit the ranch resort again, and if the government fails to checkmate these hoodlums, all the money invested in the ranch will be a waste.
"It is necessary that armed mobile policemen be deployed to this place because ordinary policemen are not really helping matters. Right now, there is no single mobile policemen in the whole local government. If it were in a military regime, I would have called for an army barracks in Obudu," Father Odey said.