Police apprehend 4 priest, others after Imo Diocese incident

The police have arrested four priests and eight others relating to the crisis that happened in Ahiazu Mbaise Catholic Diocese in Imo State at the weekend.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Andrew Enwerem, disclosed this in a statement in Owerri.

Enwerem said the arrests became very necessary following an assault on the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ahiazu Mbaise Police Division, Danjuma Ragga, a Superintendent of Police, on Saturday at the Catholic Cathedral, Ahiazu Mbaise.

The PPRO said the Vicar General, Rev. 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 Area but some youths forcibly stopped the meeting.

He said: “The youth set up bon fire, barricaded the highway and disrupted the peace of the town. The youth led by Rev. Fr. John Ogoekwe of Christ the King Church, 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.”

The police spokesman added that the youth fired gunshots from inside the Catholic Church Cathedral which hit the DPO, Danjuma, on both legs and hands.

According to him, Danjuma is recuperating in the hospital. The PPRO added that the Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, has warned that the command would not tolerate a situation where youths or groups would resort to violence to settle differences.

Lakanu also ordered that the Cathedral be sealed in order to avoid further violence.

The Ahiara Catholic Diocese has been engulfed in leadership crisis over the non-appointment of an indigenous Bishop from Mbaise, following the demise of the pioneer bishop, Rt. Rev.

Victor Adibe Chikwe, in September 2010.

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI had on 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 the Catholic faithful in Ahiara Diocese have resisted.