Suspected Fulani herdsmen early Monday morning attacked the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary in Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital.
According to a statement issued in Jalingo by the Rector of the Seminary, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Atsue, the Fulani herdsmen armed with sophisticated weapons shot sporadically at the Rector’s residence, broke window glasses in the process, shattered windscreen of one of the vehicles belonging to one of the priests as well as shot and injured one of the priests, Rev. Fr. Cornelius kobah on the leg and beat up Fr. Stephen Bakari.
Fr. Atsue disclosed that the grievances of the invaders against the Seminary were that the security men in the Seminary had been challenging their decision to graze right inside the Seminary, around the classes, football field, laundry among others.
He however said that normalcy had temporarily been restored to the Seminary thanks to the prompt response from the Nigerian Police, Army, Civil Defense and local vigilante saying that all the students were complete as none was missing.
The Statement reads,” 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 morning 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, (littered 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 grievance against us is 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 vigilantee. All our students are complete, none is missing. Two of them who were showing them the way to the Fathers’ 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”.
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