Tears as Catholic priest gruesomely killed, burnt by gunmen is buried
- The Catholic community in Jalingo, Taraba on Tuesday, September 3 turned out for the burial of Fr David Tanko who was gruesomely murdered by gunmen
- Tanko was described as a lover of peace by the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, Most Rev Charles Hammawa, who presided over the mass
- The bishop further implored government at all levels to be alive to their responsibility to protect citizens’ lives and properties
- Also in attendance, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Taraba chapter, Isaiah Jiraye, said Fr Tanko’s death was a great loss to the church
Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Jalingo was flooded with tears on Tuesday, September 3 as the Catholic community turned out for the burial ceremony of Fr David Tanko, 42, who was murdered gruesomely and burnt by gunmen.
The deceased was the presiding priest of St Peters Parish, Ahmadu, and was murdered at Kpankufu village, while returning from a peace meeting to resolve the ongoing feud between the Tiv and Jukuns in the state, Vanguard reports.
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Legit.ng gathers that Tanko was described as a lover of peace by the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, Most Rev Charles Hammawa, who presided over the mass for the final internment.
The bishop said: “We are only strengthened and comforted by our Christian faith of surrendering all things to God, our faith in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.
“Fr David was part of the peace efforts initiated by me, the bishop of the Diocese of Jalingo, Taraba, to help in bringing an end to the fight between the Tiv and Jukun.
“He was a good man, a good priest, diligent, hard-working, amiable and peaceful. He never sets out to offend anyone and was also a prayerful person.
“He is the kind of person Nigeria needs to come out of the quagmire and mess we are in today; a person who will serve selflessly without any bias.
“I am convinced that he is already with God in heaven and interceding for us and for the end of hostilities, violence and unwanted killings.
“May his death signal the beginning of the end of all this ugly and despicable human acts.”
Source: UGC
The bishop further implored government at all levels to be alive to their responsibility to protect citizens’ lives and properties.
He said: “The government has the resources, constitutional powers, the institutions and the machinery to stop this ugly trend.
“There should be an end to lip service and deceit especially when it concerns the security of lives and property.”
In the same vein, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Taraba chapter, Isaiah Jiraye, said Fr Tanko’s death was a great loss to the church.
He said: “CAN is also meeting with stakeholders of the Tiv and Jukun to ensure this crisis comes to an end.”
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Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that a Catholic priest was ambushed and killed at Kufai Amadu, Takum local government area of Taraba state, barely 24 hours after some villages in the state were raided by gunmen, and two people killed.
The cleric was killed on his way to attend a peace meeting with his fellow clergymen on how to resolve the persistent Tiv, Jukun crisis.
The chairman of the council, Shiban Tikari, who confirmed the unfortunate development, said the slain clergyman, later identified as Fr David Tanko, had been set on fire, along with his car, after he was killed.
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Source: Legit.ng
