The Bishop of Nsukka Catholic
Diocese, Prof. Godfrey Onah, on Sunday said any masquerader that blocks
the roads, beats and extorts money from people should be treated as terrorist
and cultist. Onah made the assertion at a church service in Nsukka, while
commenting on the beating of a seminarian by a group of masqueraders called
“Oriokpa’’ in Nsukka.
According to him, the law enforcement agents should treat any
masquerader that blocks the roads, beats and extorts money from people as
terrorist and cultist.
It is unfortunate that in this 21st century, some youths in
Nsukka area will cover their faces, block the roads, beating and extorting
money from people who are going about their legitimate businesses.
The security agents should treat these criminals, who hide under
the guise of masquerade as a culture to harass and harm law-abiding citizens,
as terrorists and cultists. On March 29, a seminarian serving in Nsukka Diocese, Lawrence
Ezeugwu, was beaten into a coma by a group of masqueraders who blocked the
road at Ugwuoyia, Nsukka.
This is a sacrilege and abomination and the church will ensure that
all those involved are brought to book and as well fight to put an end to this
evil culture.
Onah said that the matter was immediately reported to the police
and one of the masqueraders was subsequently arrested.
The cleric described masquerade in Nsukka as a cult and a form
of idol worship saying that he would deal with any Catholic member engaging in
masquerade, no matter his position in the church.
The Nsukka Oriokpa Masquerade is an evil cult and a form of idol
worship, anybody engaging in it is worshiping idol,” he said.
In his reactions, Mr Ebere Amaizu, the Police Public Relations
Officer in the state, confirmed the incident, adding that one of the
masqueraders was already in police custody.
The police in Nsukka have arrested one of the masqueraders that
beat and inflicted knife cut on a catholic seminarian on Wednesday.
Investigations are being intensified to ensure that all those
involved in that unfortunate incident are arrested and charged to court.
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