9th October, 2013
Armed robbers have attacked the mission house of St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Igbogbo-Ikorodu, Lagos State, western, Nigeria.
The robbery attack announced to the congregation by the Parish Priest, Rev. Father Jonathan Eburuche, occurred recently.
The robbers who invaded the mission, attacked a visiting priest (name withheld) from the eastern part of country and made away with his personal belongings, including his travel bag and laptop after ransacking the whole of the room.
The young priest, who was ordained in August this year, said he could not speak with P.M. NEWS Monday because he was late for the Evening Mass.
His senior colleague, who pleaded anonymity, said, the matter had been settled.
“It is not a matter for the newspapers, it is a family affair and it has been settled in-house,” he said.
A source within the church premises who said he does not know if the Rev. Father would want the issue in the newspaper said: “we still don’t know how they gained entrance into the premises even with the raised fence, though the building is still under construction. The robbers harassed the visiting priest and made away with many of his personal belongings.”
The Reverend Father last Sunday appealed to those who carried out the attack or instigated it, to confess their sin to him personally and seek forgiveness, threatening that he would curse them if they failed to confess their sins..
“I will lay a curse on whosoever did this. A church or mission house is a sacred place which should not be violated. Nobody attacks Jerusalem and goes scot free. Those who have done so never know peace,” he said to the congregation.
He told the congregation that with the nasty experience, there was a serious need to fortify security around the church and mission house premises.
The Church’s Catechist, who said he was not on duty on the fateful day and was not aware of the incident until the Rev. Father mentioned it during the Sunday Mass, confirmed that security was weak at the church when the incident occurred.
“I still don’t understand where my assistant went on the day and how people could be so bold to climb the fence to the Priests’ block. It is simply unheard of and calls for concern,” he said.
When asked if the matter was reported to the police, he said he did not think so.
When P.M.NEWS visited the Igbogbo Police Divisional Headquarters, policemen on duty said the case was not reported to them.
St. Monica’s Catholic Church, which was recently elevated to the level of a quasi-parish, is currently affiliated to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Owode-Ibeshe near Ikorodu.
The church located on Yewa Road, Igbogbo Town, was built on one of the lands secured in 1987 by Rev.Fr. Sylvester E.U. Osigweh, who came directly from Rome at the time to Ikorodu.
—Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni