Rev Dr Yakubu Pam, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, has urged the Federal Government and state governments to take stronger security measures.
Rev Pam revealed this on Thursday, September 14, 2023, during a fact-finding visit to Saint Raphael Catholic Church, Fadan Kamantan, Zango Kataf Local Government Area, where the Parish Priest’s residence was burned down and the Seminarian was killed by suspected bandits and kidnappers on September 7, 2023.
He asked both the federal and state governments to come up with answers to the country’s grave security situation.
“Anyone who comes here will know that it only took a miracle for the Parish Priest of the Catholic church to be alive today,” said the NCPC boss, who is also the founder of the Southern Kaduna Peace Joint Committee, SKPJC.
He reiterated that Rev Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, Parish Priest of Saint Raphael Catholic Church, Fadan Kamantan, did emphasise that what happened on September 7th in the church was a case of banditry and kidnapping with no religious overtones.
Senator Uba Sani, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, was praised by the NCPC chairman for establishing an enabling climate for peace to prevail in the state.
He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving him to continue his peace advocacy work across the country. He also thanked Mr. President for his assistance to the Commission.
He stated that the time had arrived to help humanity so that people may live in relative peace. He appealed on well-meaning Nigerians to come to the help of Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church in Fadan Kamantan so that the Parish Priest’s dwelling could be repaired and other critical needs of the parish could be met.
Earlier, Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Okolo, Parish Priest of Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church Fadan Kamantan, told the NCPC head on what happened on the fateful day of September 7, 2023.
He explained that the attackers had previously attempted but failed to kidnap him.
He lamented the fact that the late Seminarian, Na’aman Stephen, who sought safety in the toilet, was murdered in cold blood and the Parish residence was burned, but he and his help miraculously escaped.
He urged the government to beef up security in the area to prevent a repeat of the heinous crime committed by bandits and kidnappers.
Earlier, the NCPC chief paid a polite call to the palace of Fadan kamantan’s paramount monarch, HRM Adamu Alkali, whom he termed as the “chief mourner.”
He stated that the Kaduna state administration is delighted with the role that the ten-man peace committee has been performing in Southern Kaduna.
He warned the community’s youth not to take the law into their own hands as a result of what transpired on September 7th.
He confirmed that the two largest religions in Southern Kaduna tolerate each other and coexist amicably. He explained that members of the Southern Kaduna Peace Joint Committee, SKPJC, are collaborating with Muslims and Christians.
Furthermore, the Executive Secretary’s fact-finding team visited the Central Mosque in Fadan Kamantan, where they spoke with the Moslem community’s leadership.
He praised them for their outpouring of love and solidarity during the attack on Saint Raphael’s parish.
He advised them to maintain the spirit of interfaith harmony so that they could defeat the forces of evil in their community together.
