Madalla Blast Victims for Burial Today

Written by This Day Wednesday, 01 February 2012

Twenty unidentified bodies of last year’s Christmas Day bombing at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, would be buried after a service to be conducted by the representative of the Pope. He would be assisted by Olubunmi Cardinal Okogie and other Catholic bishops at the church’s  premises by 10a.m.

A priest in the church, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the mass burial, which was earlier scheduled for 9a.m. had been shifted to 10a.m. to enable the various clerics across the country and some parts of the world meet up with the scheduled time.

“The representative of the Pope and the entire College of Bishop of the Catholic Church in the country are coming for the mass burial of our slained brethren at St. Theresa's Church. They are coming in straight to Madalla from the African Catholic Bishop conference being hosted by Burkina Faso,” he said.   
        
Also speaking, the parish priest, Rev. Father Isaac Achi, said only six bodies out of the 26 victims who were members of the church had been claimed by their families, while the rest 20 would be interred at the church premises today.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Richard Oguche, an assistant supritendent of police  (ASP), told THISDAY on phone, that security had been beefed up in the town. “We have re-inforced the security in Madalla. More hands are on deck to ensure that we provide adequate security for the mass burial service.”

Meanwhile, the Chairperson, Anthony Fatayi-Williams Founda-tion for Peace and Youth Development, Dame Marie Fatayi-Williams, has called on Nigerians to spare a minute today to pray for the repose of the souls of those who died in the bombing as well as for the peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians.  She explained that the prayer was being held in collaboration with Channels Television on the Peace initiative in Nigeria, following the spate of bombings which had claimed innocent lives in recent past.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Fatayi-Williams said by offering to pray for the souls of the victims of the attack, Nigerians would have succeeded in forming a powerful prayer chain of hearts and minds for peace in the country. 

“I saying that at noon of Wednesday, February 1 after the victims of Christmas Day bombing at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State must have been buried in the morning, all Nigerians should stop whatever they are doing and think; they should say that violence should not be happening in Nigeria and that we all should turn our minds to peace and in doing this, they should dedicate at least one minute to god in prayer for peace to reign. I believe that by the time millions of hearts in Nigeria turn to God for peace, something will definitely happen,” she said.

AFW Foundation for Peace was established in memory of Anthony, who was Marie’s first and only son in the July 7, 2005 terrorist bomb blast in a bus at Tavistock Square, London.
She noted that the occasion was not about her lost son, but  “about Enenche Akogwu of Channels TV, about the coordinated Kano bombing, about Madalla Christmas Day bombing and about the unknown.

“That is what I feel will bring solution to the persistent terrorist killings in the nation. I am not saying the government should not do what they need to do on this regard but God alone is the giver of peace that “passeth all understanding”. It can happen and it does not take the president of Nigeria and his cabinet alone to do it, it takes me, you and the whole of Nigeria to bring about a sustainable peace in the country.”

Fatayi-Willaims, who said there was power in pure thoughts and prayers, added: “We know that God almighty and Allah will hear and answer our prayers.”

Comments (0)

Show/hide comments

Show/hide comment form