Priests killings in Benue ‘despicable’ and ‘satanic,’ Buhari says.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday condemned the “despicable” murders of two priests at a Catholic Church in Benue state, saying there’s no justification for the killings.

“This latest assault on innocent persons is particularly despicable. Violating a place of worship, killing priests and worshippers is not only vile, evil and satanic, it is clearly calculated to stoke up religious conflict and plunge our communities into endless bloodletting,” the President said.

He described as vile and satanic the killing of the worshippers and two priests in Ukpor-Mbalom community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.

Stressing that the country will not bow to the machinations of evildoers, President Buhari vowed that the assailants would be hunted down and made to pay for the sacrilege committed.

“I extend my sincere condolences to the government and people of Benue State, the Mbalom community, and especially the Bishop, priests and members of the St Ignatius’ Catholic Church, whose premises was the unfortunate venue of the heinous killings by gunmen.

Gunmen suspected to be herders in the early hours of Tuesday had killed two Catholic priests and 17 parishioners in Ayar Mbalom community of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.

The slain Priests, Revd. Frs. Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha and the other 17 victims were reportedly butchered to death in the early hours of Tuesday.

They were attacked while holding a morning Mass in a local church in the community.