The murder of a Catholic Priest in Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, yesterday, sparked off protest in the state, as his colleagues marched around the city to press for improved security.

Offu was the second Catholic Priest murdered in the state this year by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. Another, who escaped death by whiskers, is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

Meanwhile, to contain the rising insecurity in Enugu State, an emergency security meeting summoned by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday, and attended by heads of security agencies, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the state, while condemning the killing of the priest, resolved to have air surveillance in all forests in the state with immediate effect, as well as rigorous joint security operations from Monday next week.

Some of the placards read: “There is no security in Enugu State,” “Enugu is now in the hands of the devil,” “We say no to the continued killing of priests and abduction by herdsmen,” “Our leaders must rise and check this ugly trend,” among others.

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the emergency security meeting, Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Balarabe, assured that no effort would be spared to ensure the arrest of the killers of the priest, adding that the meeting resolved to improve the security architecture around the areas prone to crime in the state, as well as mop-up small arms and weapons in the state.

He said the state government had given those in possession of such arms three days to submit them to the Police, stressing that a security committee had been set up to ensure the recovery of such arms.

Also speaking, Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Province, His Grace, Emmanuel Chukwuma, who condemned the murder of the priest, appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to increase Police presence in the state, especially in the rural areas.

The governor and security agencies are out to ensure that anybody who goes again after priests and human beings in the state will find themselves to blame.” While lamenting the killing, the Catholic Church in the state recalled that two priests had been killed in the state since January this year, while another one was recuperating from the hospital following attacks by hoodlums.

Similarly, he said intensified operations had commenced for the rescue of the RCCG ministers abducted along J3 Area of Ogere in Ogun State, while tactical and operational assets of the Force had been deployed, with Makama taking the lead role in the search and rescue operations.

Mba stated that the IGP, while condemning the killing of the Catholic priest and the abduction of the clergymen, called for calm, assuring that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.