Irate Youths said to be Idol worshipers,
yesterday attacked a Priest, Rev. Father
Fidelis Ifeanyichukwu Ugozo of the St.
Raphael’s Catholic Church in Ugbenu, Awka
North Local Government Area of Anambra
State, beating him to a state of coma and
then stabbing him in the face and other parts
of his body.
According to residents of the community, the
priest and some of his followers were
carrying out the ‘Blessed Sacrament’
procession around some of the villages when
they were stopped by one of the youth leader
in Obubo village in Ugbenu town, Gabriel
Ikegbunam, who felt the clergy man and his
followers who were also performing their
monthly rosary procession, were out to burn
down their deity.
“Mr. Ikegbunem insisted that they will
not enter his village named Obubo
and when they overpowered him, he
started making contacts, calling some
youths from the village to attack the
priest and others who were mainly
women and children"he told ABS news
The Catholic priest after the attack was
rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Ebenebe
but due to his comatose state, he was
transferred to St. Joseph’s hospital, Adazi
Ani by the Ebenebe Deanery Chaplain.
A former catechist at St. Raphael’s parish
Ugbenu, Cletus Nwankwo, said Obubo
village is known in Ugbenu town for
adulterous acts, adding that the youths
suspected that the Rosary procession was
aimed at destroying their deity shrine.
“They moved from Agueke village to
Obiagu and decided to branch at
Obubo before Ikegbunam blocked
them and in the process, he called
some of them and told them that
Catholics are coming to burn their
shrine. Soon the youths trooped out,
wielding dangerous weapons such as
axe, gun and machetes. They grabbed
the Blessed Sacrament from our
Parish Priest, hit it on the floor and
used the Monstrance to hit our Parish
priest on his hand before stabbing
him on the face and other parts of the
body” he said.
The Traditional ruler of Ugbenu town, Igwe
Lawrence Egwuonu, whose wife, Lolo
Egwuonwu was also battered by the youths,
said that Gabriel Ikegbunam, Israel Egwu and
two others stormed his palace before the
incident occurred to complain that their
shrine and other sacred symbols were burnt
by Christians.
“After investigation I discovered that
they were all liars. None of their
shrines were burnt and I can defend it
anywhere. It was Ikegbunam that
incited others to attack the priest and
other Christians. There greatest
mistake was touching the priest and
destroying the Blessed Sacrament. It
is a sacrilege and they will pay for it,”
he said.
Two of the rampaging youths Anthony
Anigbogu and Humphrey Ekwenye, have been
arrested and are currently in the custody of
the State CID, Awka, while other accomplices
are still at large.
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