The Saint Joseph Orokam Catholic Community in Ogbadibo local government area of Benue State has decried the killing on Wednesday night of a woman and her son in Orokam, amidst the deteriorating security situation in the area, and has called for fasting and prayers to curb the menace.
A native of the village residing in Lagos had reportedly returned home to take his mother away due to the insecurity, but kidnappers struck at their home after midnight, killing him and his mother, leaving the younger brother to battle for life after being badly injured.
The Catholic community at its second quarterly national delegates meeting held at the weeked at St. John Bosco School in Kabayi, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, deliberated on the current security situation in Orokam, occasioned by frequent kidnapping and armed robbery.
There have been several robberies and kidnapping incidents in the area, as people are frequently seized from roads and even their homes without any security intervention, especially in Adupi, Ukporo Igwu and Orokam GRA.
The rate of kidnapping in Orokam has become very alarming as the roads from the trailer park in Ade-Igwu to Adupi, Orokam to Owukpa, Ukporo to Adupi, Orokam to Ijadoga Otukpa (Ewu-agada) have all become very dangerous, not only to Orokam people but also travelers along the ever-busy Makurdi to Enugu federal highway.
Amidst the crisis, the national chaplain of St. Joseph Orokam Catholic Community, Rev. Fr. Francis Oche Atama, has declared Wednesday, August 27 to Friday, August 29 as days of fasting and prayers for all Orokam natives across the world for God’s intervention.
The chaplain said all branches of St. Joseph Orokam Catholic Community are to book masses in their parishes for the three days, and where possible, the branches or parishes are to come together to hold prayers on August 29.
He said St. Joseph’s Parish Orokam and Regina Caeli Mission in Igwu Akor should observe the three days with communal masses and a rosary procession should be held at the parish and mission headquarters on August 29 to precede the concluding mass of the programme.
In addition, he said all Orokam priests and pastors should mobilise their congregations wherever they work to join in praying for the land.
The national president of the catholic community, Comrade Elaigwu Godwin Abakpa, charged all Orokam Catholics and non- Catholics to key into the prayer programme and called for collaboration among stakeholders including traditional rulers, presidents of Orokam Development Association branches nationwide and chairmen of the five clans to come together with a security framework to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
Comrade Abakpa commended the quick response of the member representing Ogbadibo State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Ismaila Awuchi Agada, who visited the state commissioner of police to demand the revival of security in Orokam and the response of the commissioner, Ifeanyi Innocent Emenari, who said he had temporarily recalled the DPO in the area to the state headquarters and men of the Anti-Cultism Special Squad and other tactical teams had been deployed to oversee the security situation in Orokam.
The national president, in his opening remarks at the meeting, appealed to all branches to cooperate on their financial requirements to enable them meet commitments and sought assistance for local churches.
“I am appealing to all branch chairmen to help in soliciting the cooperation of their members in contributing generously for the successful implementation of projects and programmes of this administration. We need additional fund raising methods as we want to commence new projects as may be directed by the constituted project committee.
“We wish to appeal to all branches to remit 20% of their 2025 St Joseph de Worker Feast celebration proceeds to the National body accordingly,” he stated.
