BY ANAYO OKOLI
UMUAHIA—Nigerian Diocesan Catholic Priests Association, NCDPA, has called on the Federal Government to halt further killing of Christians in the North to avoid reprisal attack.

President of the association Very Rev. Fr. Martin Onukwuba, who spoke for the group, also condemned the escape from police custody of the principal suspect of the Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic Church at Madalla, Niger State, describing it as ridiculous.

Onukwuba said the country might be thrown into religious war if the killings were not nipped in the bud.
According to him, homes affected by the attacks are now rooting for retaliation which may cause more bloodshed in the country.

“We preach peace in our churches and we cannot encourage retaliation because it is not of God. We can only encourage our people to pray for God’s intervention,” Onukwuba said.

On the escape of Kabir Sokoto from police custody, the President of NCDPA said “as far as Nigeria is concerned, I know about police force, you cannot escape from their custody unless you are aided to escape”.

“It is more serious if only five people were with him when he escaped, a lot of people need to answer some questions”
“The story is very annoying and inciting to Christians and the families that lost their loved ones as a result of the bombing. So the police should ensure that they did not sweep the escape under the carpet unless they are courting trouble from Nigerians.”

On the current petrol crisis in the country, the Catholic priests condemned the recent increase in pump price of fuel, saying the timing was wrong, especially when people that travelled for the Christmas and new year were yet to return to their base.

“Nigerians are still stranded and cannot go back to their base because of the high cost of petrol that sells between N150 to N200 per liter even when the Federal government has fixed the pump prize at N97 Per liter transporters still refused to sell at that price,” Onukwuba said.

He, however, called on the federal government to commence investigation on the alleged inflation of the oil subsidy money .
He warned:  “Failing to do that will amount to insincerity on the part of the government.