The Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Oliver Doeme Dashe on Thursday said out of the 46 catholic priests working in Maiduguri Diocese, 20 are currently displaced by Boko Haram attacks.
He also noted that out of the 40 existing parishes 20 have been deserted, adding that out of the 6 existing Deaneries, 3 are occupied by the Boko Haram members.He also called on the Federal Government to expedite action towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency or risk its spread across the country.
Speaking to Channels Television in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the Bishop said the entire north-eastern part of the country, particularly Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, have been greatly affected by the Boko Haram menace.
The Bishop, whose jurisdiction spans across the three states under the emergency rule, said actions of the insurgency has paralysed economic, social, religious, agricultural activities in all the affected states, as people continue to wallow in abject suffering and expressed sadness that government seems to be less concerned.
“I wonder what is happening. The government is supposed to be proactive but the Boko Haram is always ahead of the security personnel and even the plans of the government. Something is basically wrong and I am therefore using this opportunity to call on the government to act decisively before this cancer spreads to every part of the body” the bishop lamented.
He expressed fear that government seems to be surrendering some towns to the insurgents who are advancing gradually, having long taken over Bama, Gwoza, Uba, and now Mubi, apart from several other Local Government Areas in northern part of Borno state.
One of the Reverend Fathers who was in Mubi during the attack, Fr. David Bridling, while narrating his ordeal blamed security forces, who could not repel the attack but ran along with the defenceless civilians.
The priest, who said many people died during the attack, stressed that the federal government is not committed to ending the dastardly acts of the sect members.
Another Mubi resident, Emmanuel Michael Jatau, who spoke to our correspondent called on the Federal Government to act fast as many people now live in hopeless conditions.
He said the Federal Government needs to be more responsive as its actions is giving an impression that Nigeria is a lawless society.
