The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev Yakubu Pam, has tasked the Federal and State Governments to step up action on insecurity in the country.
Rev Pam, who gave the charged on Thursday, September 14, 2023 during a fact finding visit to Saint Raphael Catholic church, Fadan Kamantan, Zango Kataf Local government Area of Kaduna State where the residence of the Parish Priest was burnt down and the Seminarian killed by suspected bandits and kidnappers a week earlier, urged the government to come up with solutions that would address the precarious security situations in the country.
Pam, who is also the founder of the Southern Kaduna Peace Joint Committee (SKPJC), said noted that with what he saw, it was evident that it took only a miracle for the Parish Priest of the Catholic Church to be alive today.
He noted that Rev Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, the Parish Priest of Saint Raphael Catholic church, Fadan Kamantan did emphasize that what happened on September 7, in the church was a case of banditry and kidnapping, stating that it had no religious coloration.
The NCPC boss thanked Governor Uba Sani for creating the enabling environment for peace to reign in the state and also thanked President Bola TInubu for giving him the approval to continue in his peace advocacy assignment across the country.
Pam also thanked President Tinubu for his support to the Commission and affirmed that time had come to support humanity so that the people could live in relative peace.
The NCPC Executive Secretary called on well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church, Fadan Kamantan so that the residence of the Parish Priest could be rebuilt and other emergency needs of the Parish would be addressed.
Earlier, the Parish Priest, Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Okolo, briefed the NCPC boss on what transpired on the ill-fated day, September 7, 2023, saying that the attackers made efforts in the past to kidnap him but, were not successful.
Okolo regretted that the late Seminarian, Na’aman Stephen, who took refuge in the toilet was killed in cold blood and the Parish residence burnt while he and his assistance managed to escape miraculously.
He called on the government to beef up security in the area in order to forestall a repeat of the dastardly act perpetrated by bandits and kidnappers.
Earlier, the NCPC boss paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the paramount ruler of Fadan Kamantan, HRM Adamu Alkali whom he described as the “chief mourner.”
Pam said that the Government of Kaduna state is pleased with the role the ten man peace committee had been playing in Southern Kaduna and therefore cautioned the youth of the community not to take the laws into their hands because of what happened on September 7, 2023.
He affirmed that the two dominant religions in Southern Kaduna tolerate themselves and are living peacefully with one another, adding that the Southern Kaduna Peace Joint Committee members (SKPJC), are working together with Christians and Muslims.
A statement by Celestine Toruka, Head of Media and Public Relations of the NCPC, said the NCPC Executive Secretary’s fact finding team was also at the Central Mosque at Fadan Kamantan and met with the leadership of the Muslim community in the Mosque during which he thanked them for their show of love and solidarity which they demonstrated during the attack at Saint Raphael’s parish.
Pam urged them to continue to imbibe the spirit of inter- faith harmony so that together, they would be able to overcome the forces of evil in their community.
