Introduction:
The age-long reverence for places of worship and religious leaders is increasingly eroding around the world. The unprecedented security threats to places of worship are diverse and alarming. They include: terrorist attacks, kidnapping of religious leaders and congregants, theft of relics and offerings, arson active shooter incidents, amongst others. An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Victims are selected at random. Event is unpredictable and evolves quickly. I will cite some incidents to buttress the fact that places of worship, religious leaders are no longer venerated nor spared by men of the underworld.
At about 8:30am on September 8, 2017, three gunmen posing as worshippers invaded St. Thomas’ Catholic Church, Onilekere, Ikeja, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria and shot the Parish Priest, Rev. Daniel Nwankwo at close range. The incident took place after the priest concluded morning Mass. In Imo state, Reverend Father Cyriacus Onunkwo was on September 1, 2017, abducted and subsequently killed in cold blood by his assailants. An police ex-corporal, Mr. Jude Madu, is one of the five suspects arrested for masterminding the abduction and killing of the priest.
- DON OKEREKE, SECURITY CONSULTANT
- Nigeria Watch International
- Posted On
