The religious debacle currently threatening the Ahiazu Mbaise Catholic dioceses in Imo State at the weekend degenerated as the Police Command has arrested four Priests and eight others.
Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Enwerem made the disclosure to The Authority in Owerri.
Enwerem said the arrests became necessary following an assault on the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ahiazu Mbaise police station, Danjuma Ragga, a Superintendent of Police on Saturday, July 2nd at the Catholic Cathedral Ahiazu Mbaise.
According to him, the Vicar General, Revd Fr Clement Ebi had played host to the National President of the Catholic Women Organisation, on
Saturday at the St Roses Catholic Church in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government, but youths who converged insisted on stopping the meeting.
DSP Enwerem said "the youths set up bonfires, barricaded the highway and disrupted the peace of the town". "The youths led by Revd Fr John Ogoekwe of CKC Uvuru Aboh Mbaise defied the appeal of the DPO as they started hauling missiles on the Police, threatening to burn down police vehicle and disarm Police Officers involved in the operation".
Further, he said the youths fired gunshots from inside the Catholic Cathedral which hit DPO Danjuma on both legs and hands, adding that he is recuperating in the hospital.
According to him, the Police Commissioner of the State, Mr Taiwo Lakanu has warned that the command will not tolerate a situation where youths or groups resort to violence to settle differences, adding that all those involved in the shooting and wounding of the DPO will be fished out and prosecuted.
Meanwhile, Mr Lakanu has ordered that the Cathedral remains locked to avoid further violence.
The Ahiara Catholic Diocese has been engulfed in leadership crises over the non-appointment of Bishop from Mbaise, following the demise of the pioneer bishop, Rt. Rev. Victor Adibe Chikwe, who died in September 2010.
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, had on Friday, December 7, 2012, announced Monsignor Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, a priest from Awka Diocese, Anambra State, as the Bishop-elect of Ahiara Diocese, an action that did not go down well with the Catholic faithfuls there.
The Church went ahead to appoint John Cardinal Onayekan to oversee the diocese pending when the leadership imbroglio is resolved.
Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Enwerem made the disclosure to The Authority in Owerri.
Enwerem said the arrests became necessary following an assault on the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ahiazu Mbaise police station, Danjuma Ragga, a Superintendent of Police on Saturday, July 2nd at the Catholic Cathedral Ahiazu Mbaise.
According to him, the Vicar General, Revd Fr Clement Ebi had played host to the National President of the Catholic Women Organisation, on
Saturday at the St Roses Catholic Church in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government, but youths who converged insisted on stopping the meeting.
DSP Enwerem said "the youths set up bonfires, barricaded the highway and disrupted the peace of the town". "The youths led by Revd Fr John Ogoekwe of CKC Uvuru Aboh Mbaise defied the appeal of the DPO as they started hauling missiles on the Police, threatening to burn down police vehicle and disarm Police Officers involved in the operation".
Further, he said the youths fired gunshots from inside the Catholic Cathedral which hit DPO Danjuma on both legs and hands, adding that he is recuperating in the hospital.
According to him, the Police Commissioner of the State, Mr Taiwo Lakanu has warned that the command will not tolerate a situation where youths or groups resort to violence to settle differences, adding that all those involved in the shooting and wounding of the DPO will be fished out and prosecuted.
Meanwhile, Mr Lakanu has ordered that the Cathedral remains locked to avoid further violence.
The Ahiara Catholic Diocese has been engulfed in leadership crises over the non-appointment of Bishop from Mbaise, following the demise of the pioneer bishop, Rt. Rev. Victor Adibe Chikwe, who died in September 2010.
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, had on Friday, December 7, 2012, announced Monsignor Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, a priest from Awka Diocese, Anambra State, as the Bishop-elect of Ahiara Diocese, an action that did not go down well with the Catholic faithfuls there.
The Church went ahead to appoint John Cardinal Onayekan to oversee the diocese pending when the leadership imbroglio is resolved.
Police arrests four Priests in Imo over religious crises
![Police arrests four Priests in Imo over religious crises]()
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Thursday, July 14, 2016
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