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‘Abuja Stampede: Govt Should Assist Catholic Church, Not Detain Its Priest’

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Catholic Church
Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama: Enough of this verbal verbal demonisation of the Catholic Church

If there is anything the government should do in the aftermath of the Abuja stampede that claimed 10 lives, it is to assist the Catholic Church parish concerned and not detain its priest.

This is the contention of the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, who has also condemned what he describes as “verbal demonisation of the Catholic Church”.

Kaigama who was reacting to the tragedy at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, also slammed the demonisation, detention of the priest as well as threat to slam criminal charges on the Church.

Those, he said “is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.”

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The cleric said the government should have been immediately concerned with assisting the Church to explore safety methods to preclude future occurrences in the nation’s earnest desire to do good.

Delivering a Christmas message titled, “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal”, called on Nigerian leaders to avoid greed by ensuring even spread of the nation’s wealth.

Such wealth should actually be used to alleviate poverty, improve education, create jobs, and provide affordable healthcare.

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He said in the midst of the shadows that loom large over the nation, he was extending my heartfelt wishes to Nigerians in this Christmas season.

“Christmas this year has come with a poignant blend of joy and solemn reflection, shadowed by tragedies related to the struggle for what to eat in Ibadan, Abuja, Okija, and Suleja.

“We in the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja deeply mourn the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate stampede also in our own Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.

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“This incident has left the Archdiocese and the parish community in profound grief, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims”, he said.

“The verbal demonisation however, of the Catholic Church by some agents of government responding to the tragedy was needless.

“They should have been immediately concerned with assisting the Church to explore safety methods to preclude future occurrences in our earnest desire to do good by denying ourselves what we need in order to help others without discrimination.

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“The detention of our priest as well as some officials of our church and the threat to slam us with criminal charges is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.

“None of those agents shouting criminal charges at the church cared about the traumatic impact of this tragedy on these volunteers whose only desire was to feed the hungry.

“No one, up to now, has cared to find out about their emotional and mental disposition after experiencing the devastating impact of people struggling to find food to eat for the day.

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READ ALSO: Oriyomi Hamzat Hospitalised After Ibadan Stampede That Claimed 35 Children Lives

“I consider all those who so far, have suffered in connection with this tragedy because they dared to help, “the 2024 heroes of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja.”

“Up to this time of writing, no government agent or official has come in the spirit of compassion or empathy to find out first hand from the Church authorities what really happened and what they could offer so that the Church improves subsequent services to the poor.

“All one hears is that this sort of event must not be organized again without permission!”, he said.

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