FG should pay for the repair of churches destroyed by Boko Haram - Catholic bishops
- Catholic bishops in Kaduna have urged the federal government to compensate churches and victims of insurgency
- According to the bishops, for the past six years they have suffered without recompense
- They also to appealed state governments to issue Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for lands meant for the building of churches
Catholic Bishops under the aegis of the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province comprised of Kaduna, Sokoto, Kotangora, Zaria, Minna, Kano and Kafanchan Catholic dioceses, have urged the federal government to render a helping hand to churches and people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency
According to NAN, the bishops asked that the Nigerian government compensate churches and other victims of attacks carried out by insurgents on places of worship.
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Their spokesman, Mathew Ndagoso, said on Tuesday, August 22, in Minna:
“In the past six years, insurgents have attacked churches and other Christian places in the north, but the federal government is yet to compensate the victims.
“We want to inform you that the Catholic Church has not received any support from the federal government for the Churches affected."
“In Niger, the first terrorist attack was on St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, on December 25, 2011.
“Last year, some youths attacked the St. Philips Catholic Church, Bakin Iku, near Suleja, destroying properties valued at several millions of Naira. No one has even sympathised with us."
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According to Bishop Ndagoso, the federal government was supposed to be responsible for giving assistance to the churches and the victims. He went on to give an instance of how he personally suffered from such attacks.
“When I was in Maiduguri, my house was destroyed and burnt in my absence. Nothing was taken out of that house. The church was equally destroyed. Nobody has compensated me or the church."
In conclusion, he also pleaded with state governments to issue Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) for lands meant for the building of churches, and urged the federal government to encourage the governors to do so to enable the church to assist development needs of the nation.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that there is serious panic in Nigeria over reports Pope Francis is seriously considering shutting down a total of 163 parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara in Imo state following the alleged stubborn refusal of of some priests to accept the appointment of Peter Okpalaeke as bishop.
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Source: Legit.ng
