The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, last night condemned what he described “verbal demonization of the Catholic Church” by some agents of government in responding to the tragedy at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama.
Kaigama was reacting to the arrest of church officials linked to the organisation of the fatal food handouts in Abuja last week.
A senior priest and several officials of the church involved in the planning and execution of the ill-fated charity event have been arrested by security agents. All those arrested have been taken into detention and will likely spend Christmas behind bars.
Organisers of a similar tragic charity event in Ibadan, Oyo State, have also been arrested, taken to court and remanded in prison custody,
Inspector general of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered an investigation into the Ibadan, Abuja and Anambra tragic charity outreaches.
Archibisop Kaigama however said the detention of the priest as well as some officials of the church and the threat to slam criminal charges on the church “is to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly and a misplaced zeal, and one wonders what purpose these were meant to serve.”
Kaigama, who made his mind known in his Message titled, “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal”, said that government officials should have focused on helping the organisers and the church to overcome their trauma instead of compounding it through arrest, detention and threat of criminal prosecution.
