Why Herdsmen Attacked Catholic Priests In Taraba

Rector of the minor seminary in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Atsue, has explained why the institution came under attack from herdsmen on Monday.

Two Catholic priests were on Monday morning beaten with one shot in the leg when gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked a minor seminary in the state.

During the attack, some students were injured and many cars destroyed, even as those wounded were said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre.

Speaking on the incident, Fr. Atsue claimed they were attacked because some security men in the Seminary have been challenging the decision of the herdsmen to graze right inside the premises.

In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the rector narrated, “With permission from my Bishop, Most Rev. Charles Hammawa of Jalingo Diocese, I Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Atsue (the Rector) want to announce and inform Nigerians and the international community that our diocesan Sacred Heart Minor Seminary was attacked in the early hours of this 28/05/2018 at about 12:30am by sophisticated armed Fulani Herdsmen (at least we heard their conversation).

“They shot sporadically at the Rector’s residence, broke window glasses in the process, (litered live bullets were collected by police) windscreen of one of the vehicles belonging to one of the priests, they shot and injured one of the priests Rev. Fr. Cornelius kobah on the leg, beat up Fr. Stephen Bakari.

“From their conversation we were able to understand that their grievances against us are that the security men in the Seminary have been challenging their decision to graze right inside the Seminary: around the classes, football field, laundry etc.

“They said even inside the church if they see grass their cows will graze. Normalcy has temporarily been restored thanks to the prompt response from the Nigerian Police, Army, Civil Defense and local vigilante.

“All our students are complete, none is missing. Two of them who were showing them the way to the Father’s house suffered injuries from the sticks of the herdsmen.

“I had a meeting with the officials of the Parents Teachers Association PTA and the bishop has equally approved one week break for the seminarians to enable them manage trauma for a while and to show themselves to their parents that they were safe. For now this is the situation. Let us continue to pray for and work for peace in Nigeria.”