Former governor of Edo State Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has sent a condolence message to the Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese over the death of Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia who was abducted on Sunday morning and later found dead, obviously killed by his abductors. In a message made available to the press by his senior media aide, Mr Victor Oshioke, Comrade Oshiomhole said news of the abduction and gruesome murder of Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, Administrator of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo-Uzairue came to him as a shock and like many other Nigerians, he was still finding it difficult to come to terms with the dastardly act.
Oshiomhole averred that “It is not only unacceptable, it is indeed an abomination unknown in our land, that a reverend man of God could be so mistreated without cause and murdered in cold blood. What manner of persons could be so insensitive, callous, wicked and inhuman to violate the sanctity of the Catholic priesthood through such a sacrilegious act?”
He went further to argue that “Notwithstanding our diversity as a nation, no religion permits the taking of life so needlessly, no culture allows the spilling of human blood so carelessly and certainly, no socio-economic circumstances justifies the absence of human feelings so casually.”
He praised the local Ikabigbo Vigilante group for their courage saying that “This incident, though quite unfortunate, has revealed the courage of the Afemai people through the exceptional gallantry and bravery of Ikabigbo youths who mobilised themselves at very short notice and challenged the marauders to a confrontation in which the leader of their vigilante group, Dr. Nurudeen Umosor lost his life. He is a true hero and his death will not be in vain.”
He cautioned against taking self help counselling that
“Even as we mourn Fr. Christopher Odia our brother who has been so brutally snatched from us, and Dr. Nurudeen Umosor who fell in a heroic fight of freedom for his people, we must resist the temptation to take the laws into our hands. We should put our hopes in God and trust that the perpetrators of this evil will be caught and brought to justice by our law enforcement agencies. Yet we must be more vigilant but calm, resolute but cautious, trusting in the Lord to heal us of this pain and save us from the terrorists that are ravaging our beloved country.”
Find the full text below:
His Lordship,
Bishop G. G. Dunia
Auchi Catholic Diocese
Auchi
Edo State.
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE
News of the abduction and gruesome murder of Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia, Administrator of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ikabigbo-Uzairue came to me as a shock and like many other Nigerians, I am still finding it difficult to come to terms with the dastardly act.
It is not only unacceptable, it is indeed an abomination unknown in our land, that a reverend man of God could be so mistreated without cause and murdered in cold blood. What manner of persons could be so insensitive, callous, wicked and inhuman to violate the sanctity of the Catholic priesthood through such a sacrilegious act?
Notwithstanding our diversity as a nation, no religion permits the taking of life so needlessly, no culture allows the spilling of human blood so carelessly and certainly, no socio-economic circumstances justifies the absence of human feelings so casually.
Though they succeeded in taking Fr. Christopher away from us, we will always remember him for all that he ministered to us and the much that he did for us, while he was among us. Ultimately, he gave up his life as a sacrifice on the altar of service to humanity.
This incident, though quite unfortunate, has revealed the courage of the Afemai people through the exceptional gallantry and bravery of Ikabigbo youths who mobilised themselves at very short notice and challenged the marauders to a confrontation in which the leader of their vigilante group, Dr. Nurudeen Umosor lost his life. He is a true hero and his death will not be in vain.
Even as we mourn Fr. Christopher Odia our brother who has been so brutally snatched from us, and Dr. Nurudeen who fell in a heroic fight of freedom for his people, we must resist the temptation to take the laws into our hands. We should put our hopes in God and trust that the perpetrators of this evil will be caught and brought to justice by our law enforcement agencies. Yet we must be more vigilant but calm, resolute but cautious, trusting in the Lord to heal us of this pain and save us from the terrorists that are ravaging our beloved country.
I wish to extend my condolences to the Auchi Catholic Diocese, the Odia family of Ogbona, the entire Ikabigbo community and Afemai people as a whole, for this very traumatising occurrence.
Also I pray for quick recovery for all those who sustained various degree of injuries during the incident and rescue efforts.
May the souls of Rev. Fr. Christopher Odia and Dr. Nurudeen Umosor rest in peace.
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole mni, CON
Abuja, June 27, 2022.
