Outrage as Over 200 Muslims Allegedly Destroy Catholic Church Near Abuja

Days after Redeemed Christian Church of God member Eunice Olawale was slaughtered during her morning Evangelism in Abuja, yet another attack was carried out by some 200 Islamist fundamentalists who stormed a Catholic Church near the capital and destroyed items in the premises.

According to THISDAY: “A group of another Muslim youths yesterday attacked St. Philip’s Catholic Parish, Baki Iku, close to Zuma Rock in Niger State, destroying properties worth thousands of naira. The Vicar-General of Parish, Revered-Father Gobep Luka Sylvester, who confirmed the news to THISDAY last night said about 200 Muslim youths stormed the Church premises yesterday and destroyed properties of the church. THISDAY gathered that some Catholics had gone to the church to pray and were attacked by the Muslims who claimed that Fridaywas their day of prayer and that the Church only had right to worship on Sundays.”

In his chat with the paper, Revered Father Sylvester said he was not around the premises when the extremists ran amok, destroying the church properties, but that the security officials in the church were injured. He said:

“Sometime around 2pm, some Muslim youths numbering 200 left their Mosque after their Friday Jumat prayer and rushed to the Church premises, climbed the wall and destroyed everything in the Church: the windows, the alter, musical instruments, the chapel.

The security man in the church premises was beaten to pulp. Some women who were holding a prayer meeting were chased away. The seminarian who is resident in the premises was also beaten up and chased away.

Just last week, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, a mobile preacher of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was killed by some fanatical Muslims in Kubwa, FCT. How long are we going to continue like this?”

The clergyman also confirmed the police were alerted and they have launched investigations.

See the photos from the scene:

Credit: Instagram

This recent incident has caused yet another outrage on social media.

Instagram user aa_nafisah had this to say about the increasing number of religious violence:

“Muslims are everywhere but only northern muslims who try so hard to be like the Arab will perpetrate such havoc. This is a region problem, it’s what u get when the streets are littered with children whose parents had no plan before bringing them into the world. I don’t see anyone fighting or destroying lives and property in dubai or Qatar aren’t they Muslims?”

While another user, uforo01 blamed religion for the incessant violence:

“Please I’m tired of hearing Islam means peace, I know very rowdy and lousy people bearing Peace and very impatient people bearing Patience, now I always see Muslims write ” don’t use the action of a few who hijacked Islam, or who colonized Islam or who blah blah” I’m yet to see a comment by a Muslim that actually goes, “I’m so sorry my Christian folks for what my Muslim brothers are doing, this is so wrong, it’s unacceptable” something in that line, all y’all do is quote where Islam did or didn’t but deep down you are careless and lack empathy, but Christians are quick to lay curses on their own even to the unborn generations…God can fight for himself meanwhile it’s end time people, we can can just begin now to make amends. Now the real Peace!”

According to THISDAY, the police confirmed a few people have been arrested for the attack on the church. However, many Nigerians hope that all judicial processes will be taken to bring the perpetrators to book.