Dear communicators, good afternoon. Below is a press release on the attacks on the Catholic Cathedral and other churches in Ilorin in the early hours of January 1, 2018. Kindly give it its deserved publicity. Thanks, Peter Dada, National Secretary, CAMPAN

Subject: PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ILORIN

PRESS RELEASE: REPORT OF THE UNFORTUNATE ATTACK BETWEEN 31st OF DECEMBER 2017 AND 1st OF JANUARY 2018 AT MY CATHEDRAL. ST JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL ILORIN. TAIWO ROAD

Greetings of peace to you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Merry Christmas and a happy new year. May this year bring us peace. Amen

The new year vigil ( Cross over night ) celebration of holy mass, majority of the parishioners ( worshippers) left for their homes while some worshippers stayed back inside the church since they could not go home due to distance or staying back to pray. It got to our notice that some group of persons started harassing members by collecting their valuables and taking advantage of ladies by pressing their breasts. At this time, the stationed policemen were no more in the compound.

At about 2.15am we perceive an attack on the Methodist cathedral church, that is the opposite of St. Joseph Catholic cathedral. This lasted for about 30minutes with stones to break and damage properties of the Methodist church and the thugs were heard chorusing "Allah Akbar"

This land belongs to the Muslims

We perceive the presence of policemen at about 3.00am with gunshots having notified them much earlier through calls. The policemen retreated at arrival with the population of the hooligans and this gave them access to the St. Joseph premises by forcefully opening the gate with stones. To save the lives and properties of the church, the church security men quickly alerted the parishioners who are still praying In the church and chapel respectively and this allowed the majority of them to run for safety in the toilet, sacristy , hall and clinic. The thugs gained access in shouting that " this land belong to Islam" throwing stones and other objects on the church building to destroy the window, car parked within the compound and they were able to invade the chapel with about 15 children and a woman still sleeping therein, beat up the woman with a stick and made way with belongings including : phones, money, and bags.

On their way out, it was noticed that the gallery of the church with the help of a seminarian how they remount two of the statues ( that of St. Joseph's and the resurrection scene ). They lifted that of St. Joseph and set ablaze leaving the image of Christ's resurrection broken on the ground

A bajad motorcycle was also moved out of the compound and burnt the security post was vandalized and valuables kept there were set ablaze on the asphalt road.

The whole process lasted till about 4.00am and the church security resumed seeing the level of damage and how safe it is for the movement of people to a more comfortable place from their hi dings. While all these is on the Muslims group within the United Secondary School beside St. Joseph's cathedral were on their vigil programme undisturbed which lasted till about 5:30am and the worshippers were seen trooping out of the school compound and departing in different directions.

The churches affected are

CAC, METHODIST CATHEDRAL AND ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL

The Governor has been informed and the state security agencies as well

+Ayo-Maria ATOYEBI OP

BISHOP

These people really needs education...

why can't we live together without religion tearing us apart? we say biri Ka m biri mana egbe belu, ugo belu nke si ibe ya ebena, nku kwa ya but Christians changed it to ya gosi ya ebe o ebesa.. you can see the outcome.

islam is known to be a religion of violence.

i wonder where they leave qn 109:6 that said "to you your religion and to me mine"?

They leave tears,sorrows and blood...


You really dont know what islam is.... I pity naive so called christians.

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against the church of God: they have spoken against and destory the church of God, They compassed also with words of hatred; and fought against the church without a cause. And they have rewarded churches evil for good, and hatred for love.

Set thou a wicked man over them: and let Satan stand at their right hand and When they shall be judged, let their be condemned: and let their prayer become sin. Let their days be few; and let another take his office. Let their children be fatherless, and their wife a widow. Let their children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil their labour. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour their fatherless children. Let their posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of their fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of their mother be blotted out.

Amen