Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Catholic faithful of Bomadi Diocese, IN Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, joined other Catholics in Nigeria to stage a peaceful protest in Yenagoa, the state capital, over the frequent brutal killing of Christians by herdsmen and Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast and middle belt regions of the country.
Bishop of the Bomadi Diocese, Most Revd Hyacinth Oroko Egebo who led the protest with full participation by other priests in the diocese from St Matthias Catholic Church , Amarata, Yenagoa sang ‘Ave Maria’ and marched from the gate of the church to Bayelsa State Government House, Onopa.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: “Life Is Sacred”, “FG Act On The Killings”, “Enough Is Enough”, “Stop The Killings Or Resign”, “Why Value Cows More Than Humans”, “We Demand Good Governance” and “Enough Is Enough Herdsmen, Terrorists And Their Political Supporters”.
At the Government House gate, the protesters were received by three officials of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration, Jonathan Obuebite, Commissioner for Education; Samuel John-Peters, Special Adviser on Religious Matter; and Boma Spero-Jack, Special Adviser on Security Matters, came out to receive them.
In their letter of protest addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari through Governor Dickson, Bishop Egbebo decried “the outright loss and diminishing of the integrity of life in Nigeria through the incessant brutal killing of innocent citizens”.
According to him President Buhari should heed the cry of Nigerians for peace and justice and bring the killings to an end.
“About all this, we say enough is enough. We are utterly outraged by these heinous killings of innocent human beings in Nigeria. Indeed, the psyche of our nation is tearful and mournfully requesting the authorities to act very quickly without any equivocation.