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Regional News of Friday, 18 November 2022

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Armed men storm St Martin’s Catholic Church in Anambra

The photo used to illustrate the story The photo used to illustrate the story

The premises of the St Martin of Tours Parish in Ihiala was raided by heavily armed men on Thursday, November 17, according to Vanguard newspaper.

The men were reportedly led to the church premises by two Reverend Fathers. The reason mission at the church premises could be ascertained at the time of filing this report.

Legit reports that one of them is the parish priest of a new parish created recently by the Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Reverend Jonas Benson Okoye.

An eyewitness at the venue of the raid said the armed men wore black attire and covered their faces. The witness added that the security men guarding the church and dispossessed them of their telephones.

The parish priest of the Church, Rev Fr Val Eze, who was contacted, confirmed the incident, stating that the men were still occupying the church premises as of 9.15pm on Thursday.

He, however, said that the invaders had not approached the residence of the priests. For the past six weeks, the Holy Ghost priests residing in the parish, have not been celebrating Masses in Nnewi Diocese as the Bishop had revoked their faculty.

The Bishop of the Diocese had accused the Holy Ghost Fathers of not cooperating with the Diocese in resolving certain issues, including attempts to create new parishes out of St Martin’s and payment to the owners of the land acquired by the church.

NBA