From John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has condoled with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the entire Christian community in the state over the tragic death of Reverend Father James Omeh of St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gulu, Lapai Local Government Area.
The governor, in a statement in Minna on Monday, May 26, by the Special Adviser on Communication, Media and Strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, described the tragic death of the Catholic priest as painful and very unfortunate.
The governor regretted that the life of the Catholic priest was cut short when his services were most required by the Christian community and the entire Gulu Parish of St Anthony’s Catholic Church.
A tragic incident occurred on Saturday, May 24, along the Lapai-Gulu Road, claiming the life of the Parish Priest of St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gulu, and Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lapai Local Government Area, along with a female passenger.
According to sources, Reverend Father Omeh was travelling back to Gulu when he encountered the collapsed bridge along the Lapai-Gulu Road after torrential rainfall the previous night.
However, unable to proceed with his journey, the Catholic priest attempted to make a U-turn to return to the nearby Duma village when his Hilux vehicle was swept away by the heavy floodwater from the collapsed bridge.
The late Reverend Father Omeh, who was driving himself before the unfortunate incident, is said to have struggled in vain as he and his passenger were swept away.
The bodies of the victims were later recovered with the help of local volunteers and the Sarkin Ruwa (king of water) from a nearby village.
The governor, in the condolence message, said Reverend Father James Omeh was a devoted Catholic priest who was widely respected for his commitment to community peacebuilding.
Bago maintained that the death of the priest was a great loss not only to the CAN and the Christian community in the state and country in general but also to the government and people of the state.
The governor pointed out that the Catholic priest would be remembered for his sacrifices for community peace and for ensuring religious harmony in the area, stressing that “until his death, he remained a respected Reverend Father who will be missed by all.”
“On behalf of the government and people of the state, I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Catholic community, and the immediate family of the deceased, and pray God Almighty will grant him eternal rest,” the statement added.
Part of his peacebuilding in the area was his recent courtesy visit to some critical stakeholders in Lapai Local Government, including the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida III, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), and the Local Government Chairman.
He led the delegation of CAN executives on the visit to reaffirm CAN’s dedication to promoting unity and peaceful coexistence in the area. The Lapai-Gulu Road remains a source of concern to the people and travellers due to its deteriorating condition, with community members calling for urgent government intervention to prevent further loss of lives.