#Ahiara Catholic Diocese Boiling Again As Rev Fr Januarius Chima Ahaneku Is Said To Have Stormed The Diocese With Thugs Over The Appointment Of A Substantive Bishop Of The Diocese!

An on-going bitter feud over the consecration of the new Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese took a bitter twist this week when Rev.Fr.Januarius Chima Ahaneku one of the clergymen opposed to the nominee for the Substantive Bishop of the Diocese stormed the church with armed thugs.

In a dispute that has taken the colouration of a political battle, several priests are opposed to the consecration of Most Reverend Peter Okpalaeke as the new Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese. Reverend Ahaneku apparently went to St Brigid’s Catholic Church, Nnarambia, at about 7.15pm yesterday to express his displeasure at the appointment, storming the parish with thugs and assaulting the resident priest, Reverend Father Marcellinus Nweke.

Reverend Nweke confirmed that he had to alert the police after his brother priest allegedly exhibited an act unbecoming of an ordained Catholic priest. He added that the police recovered a pump action rifle, a double barrelled gun and an electric shocker from Reverend  Ahaneku and his friends when they arrived. “They started harassing us, using hammers and some iron bars to break the doors and gain entrance. Some of us even sustained injuries and I dislocated my left shoulder,” Reverend Nweke added.

However, Reverend Ahaneku, said that although he presented a letter from the vicar general, Reverend Clement Ebii, deploying him to St Brigid’s Parish, as an acting parish priest, he never attempted the use of violence as claimed by Reverend Nweke. He added that the men, who were arrested by the police as thugs merely accompanied him to the parish, to assist him settle down with his belongings.

He said: “The parish priest left without the knowledge of the vicar general of the Diocese, so, I was detailed to go there and take care of the souls of the parishioners. I did not go there with a thug at all.”

However, the sports utility vehicle, which Reverend Ahaneku drove to the parish was badly vandalised by the alleged angry youths and was still in the custody of the church. The Imo State Police Command has appealed to the administrator of Ahiara Diocese, who doubles as the Archbishop of Abuja Ecclesiastical Province, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis bedevilling the area since the death of Bishop Victor Chikwe.

Police spokesman Andrew Enwerem, said: “It is most shocking that priests can get to this level. The Catholic Church and its priests are supposed to show good examples for others to follow.”

Ahiara Diocese of the Catholic Church has been in turmoil since the appointment of Reverend Ahaneku to replace the late Reverend Chike. Some local clergymen insist that the new priest should a local indigene and are bitter opposed to Reverend Ahaneku being consecrated.

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