ALL AFRICA REPORT: Owerri — Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuapu, Ohaji/Egbema local council area of Imo State, has joined the list of parishes attacked by dare devil armed robbers in the state.
The invading armed robbers physically assaulted the Curate, Rev. Fr. Frank Ogbonna, carted away cash and personal effects of the resident priests before beating a retreat into the safety of their private homes with their loot.
The hoodlums then descended on the parish rectory, cut the burglary proof mounted at the sit out and headed to the room of the Curate, Fr. Ogbonna.
The rampaging criminals slapped Fr. Ogbonna several times for telling them that the money raised the previous day for church renovation was not in the parish house.
Other things stolen by the robbers included teachers salary, mass intention envelopes and 10 percent of the offertory collection meant for the Archdiocese.Fr. Ogbonna confirmed that the robbers tied his hands and feet, removed his laptop, mobile phones, clothes and shoes, adding that they only dropped the sim cards and two pairs of trousers because of his plea.
Vanguard recalls that early callers, after the ugly incident, were the traditional ruler, Eze Boniface Ihueze, the member representing Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Luke Chukwu, and a prominent son of the area, Nze Hilary Ihueze.
Efforts made to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Linus Nwaiwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, failed as Vanguard could not reach his mobile line for comments on the robbery incident before going to press.
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