Priest and Passenger Attacked by gunmen in Enugu, Nigeria
(International Christian Concern) –PunchNG has reported that another priest has been attacked while travelling in Nigeria. The priest, Rev. Fr. Ikechukwu Ilo, was travelling to his parish on Wednesday night with a woman from his church. While driving, the Father said that two men with AK 47s came out of brush on the side of the road. They shouted at the driver to stop his car. Rev. Ilo was not willing to stop, but tried to drive past them. As he was fleeing, the two gunmen shot at his vehicle, hitting both the priest and the passenger.
Rev Ilo reported that the two men were speaking in Fulbe and English, and identified the two men as Fulani herders. The local police, who confirmed the attack, said that the two gunmen remain as yet unidentifiable, and said that they are not sure they were Fulani.
Attacks have become a regular occurrence in rural Nigeria, especially on Christian ministers. It is likely that the two men were planning on kidnapping the father in order to ransom him back to the church. There have been many similar abductions and ransom and often happen while church leaders are travelling. Though it remains unclear who committed this attack, it shows that there are still significant security issues in Nigeria, which often affect the church. Church leaders and members remain much more likely to be kidnapped or killed in all but far Northeast Nigeria than their Muslim counterparts. Please pray that men like Father Ilo would remain safe.
Check out the ICC post HERE
Image/CIA
