Owo church

Group condemns persistent attacks on Christians, churches in Nigeria

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The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee (OPAC) on Tuesday condemned the attacks on Nigerian churches and christians.

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The body, established to provide public advocacy for the global Orthodox Christian Church, requested President Muhammdu Buhari to provide security for faithful.

In a statement made available to DAILY POST, OPAC decried the massacre of worshippers in recent times.

“On June 5th, the Feast of Pentecost in the Western Church, at least fifty people were murdered at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo State, and the priest of the Parish was kidnapped.

“This follows the Holy Week Murder of Fr. Ferdinand Fanen Ngugban and six other Christians on March 30, 2022, just following the celebration of the Mass.”

OPAC noted that the attack occurred at Fr. Ngugban ‘s parish church of St. Paul Ayetwar in Benue State.

The committee called on President Buhari “to protect peaceful Christian population – the largest in Africa – from extremist terrorist violence”.

“There are no attacks by Christians upon other religious groups in Nigeria.

“The continuous targeting of Christians during principal religious holidays is beginning to feel like Nigerian state-sponsored terrorism against its own citizens and it must stop!”

OPAC charged the United States Department of State to insist on measures to protect Christians within Nigeria.

The statement urged the Nigerian government “to root out extremist terrorist elements that are clearly tolerating this inhuman and horrific persecution of peaceful Christian citizens”.