Moving in deathly herds, the blood-thirsty squad invaded Celestial Church of Christ, Blood of Jesus Parish, Felele Lokoja like a storm cloud split by snaky
When LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the church, the shepherd in charge of CCC Blood of Jesus Parish, Superior Evangelist Iraese Monday, could not hold back his tears as he conducted the crew around the bullet-ridden church premises.
He explained that apart from the deceased female worshipper and her daughter, his son, daughter and another church member are still in the hospital. He said they are gradually responding to treatment as a result of a severe bullet wound at sensitive parts of their body. On her part, 58-year-old Iyabo Oheda, who resides adjacent to the Church, narrated how stray bullets flew into her house through the wall and the roof.
Babatunde who is a clergyman said, “We have advised Churches to beef up security in and around the church and put measures in place to ensure the safety of worshippers within and around the church.” It was revealed that the husband of the deceased who is not a member of the church was called by the state Police Command to come and retrieve the corpse of his wife and daughter for onward burial.
A youth leader in the community, Joe Peku, said that it remains a surprise to them that despite the efforts put in place by their community to ensure safety and security, such attacks could still be launched in the community. Koto confirmed that the Celestial Church has been sited in the community for over eleven years without any record of such an attack.