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HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED THE ADORATION GROUND TRAGEDY
- THE FACTS AND ISSUES (PART I)

ENUGU STATE

nugu state has always been known for peace, calm and quiet within the Nigerian polity.

The citizens are mainly civil servants, traders and small entrepreneurs. With an estimated unofficial population of over six million people, Enugu diocese has a Catholic population of over two million and Nsukka diocese has an equivalent Catholic population. One would estimate the catholic population to over seventy percent. The remaining percentage is made up of Christians of other confessions, and non Christians.

CHURCH AND STATE RELATIONS

The Church and State relationship in Enugu state over the years has remained constructive and cordial. The Catholic Church recognises very clearly her distinct nature, identity and mission in the spiritual order and the State's role on the temporal order. The Church and State are not one or the same. There is a clear separation of authority between the Church and the State, even though we realise that all authority comes from God. While serving the same human persons, the Church has retained her theological character of leading, teaching and healing. According to Pope John XXIII in Mater et Magistra, "Though the Church's first care must be the salvation of souls and their sanctification, she also concerns herself with man's exigencies, their general welfare and livelihood". Salvation is integral. In the words of the Bishops of he world at the 1971 Synod at the Vatican:

"Action on behalf of justice and Peace and participation in the transformation of the world appear fully to us as a constitutive dimension of the teaching of the Gospel, or in other words. of the Church's Mission, for the salvation of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation" ( CL lustitia in Mundo, 1971).

With the dawn of a new democratic era in 1999 following several years of military dictatorship in Nigeria, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani emerged as the second civilian Executive Governor of Enugu state. His government has enjoyed the blessings, goodwill, support and regular dialogue with the Church, both the hierarchy and the faithful.

ADORATION MINISTRYAND FATHER EJlKE MBAKA

Following the call of the Holy Father for a new- era of evangelisation "new in method, new in zeal and new in expression", the diocese of Enugu initiated pastoral action, created structures and intensified prayers for success of this apostolate in our diocese.

A centre for all night vigil and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was approved by the local Ordinary. This centre is located at the Government Technical College (GTC), G.R.A Enugu under the Christ the King Catholic parish where Reverend Father Ejike Camillus Mbaka is Parish Priest. The GTC grounds and hall have been used as a place of prayer and a parish out station of the Cathedral parish since 1970 both for Church purposes and Sunday religious worship. This arrangement received the approval of all the governments that have managed the affairs of the State in this territory, both under the military and the civilian regimes from the time of the old East Central State until the government of Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani. It is this government that banned the use of the place for religious worship.

The GTC field has the capacity to absorb several thousands of people who come for the Wednesday Adoration. Several Christians from many parishes in the diocese and beyond gather to pray and celebrate the Word of God, the Sacrament of reconciliation and Eucharist every Wednesday at the center.

Father Ejike Mbaka

Ordained in 1995, this pious, gifted and humble priest was assigned to lead the Adoration apostolate since 1996.

After his theological and philosophical studies in the local seminaries in Nigeria and his ordination in 1995, Father Ejike Mbaka served as curate at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu. Thereafter, lie was posted to begin the new parish at Christ the King Church GRA, Enugu, where the Adoration Ministry takes place at the GTC compound.

Reverend Father Ejike has been known to publicly denounce evil and sometimes targets some public servants in his sermons. For this style of fighting social evil, he made enemies in the government circles. He has also received several threats to his life.

THE TRAGIC EVENT OF 7th MARCH 2002

As reported to us, "at the early hours of Thursday, 7h March, 2002, unknown persons presumed to be hired killers invaded the adoration ground at the GTC, G.R.A Enugu where over 7,000 people had gathered to pray, causing pandemonium at the gate area, which resulted in the confirmed death of fourteen worshippers and an unborn baby."

The list of the deceased is attached. (Appendix).

The report at the time of the incident mentioned also the fact that "Many persons were injured and treated in hospitals while some were declared missing. The public address system used during the Holy Mass was burnt. Free flow of movement of people after the adoration which is normally hitch free was obstructed and physically hampered by these -unknown persons " who caused to release an unusual odour in the air said to be of poisonous gas emission. People were seen to fall and faint. The premises was plunged into darkness by sabotage as all the surrounding areas had electricity light. Even the standby generator was demobilized"

Following the sad event, good spirited persons among the worshippers conveyed the dead and the injured to the nearby government hospitals namely Park Lane G.R.A, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) but no medical services were available because of the absence of doctors and the strike actions.

The Catholic owned hospitals namely, the Ntasi Obi Ndino N'afufu Trans Ekulu, Mother of Christ Ogui and Annunciation Emene in addition with the Niger Foundation all in Enugu received the bodies of the victims and promptly rendered the needed services.

REPORT TO THE POLICE AND PUBLIC STATEMENT

In response to eye witness accounts on the tragedy at the adoration grounds which came in as events gradually unfolded, the diocesan commission for Development, Justice, Peace and Caritas investigated the information available and on the same day made written report signed by the Vicar General of the Enugu Catholic diocese and director of the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), Monsignor Obiora Ike on the incident to the Divisional Police Officer, Abakaliki Road Police station with a copy to the Enugu state Commissioner of Police.

A public statement, which was carried on radio and television, alerted the general public and particularly relations of the deceased about the tragedy. It called on the police and all law enforcement agents to "perform their constitutional duties of guaranteeing security, freedom and an atmosphere of peace for the people of Enugu state to go about their lawful business ".

This statement is included in this document as annex hereunder.

Also the same day, at about 5.00pm, Monsignor Obiora Ike went to the governor's lodge to acquaint the Enugu state governor on the development but was informed by the police on duty that the governor had travelled to Abuja and was being awaited. Government offices had closed for the day and the officers had gone home. The police on duty was told to inform the governor of the visit of the Vicar General which would be repeated later that day.

GOVERNOR CHIMAROKE VISITS THE BISHOP'S COURT

The Governor, who was said to be in Abuja upon his return, paid a night courtesy call on the bishop at the Bishop's Court with an entourage of state security officials, the Police Commissioner Alhaji Idris Mohammed and other government functionaries. He requested to be enlightened on the event, which was done. The Governor took exception to the statement namely that "unknown persons presumed to be hired killers " had masterminded incident, denying that anybody had died. He questioned the Public Statement, which he said, he had not read and stated that 'the situation was caused by stampede and not by unknown persons'. He opined that father Mbaka was "paranoid " and always "criticised his person and government". The supposed "condolence visit" ended as an "accusation visit' of the Church hierarchy and condemnation of the Adoration Ministry which he vowed to stop. The Governor and entourage left the Bishop's Court after more than an hour.