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A Catholic priest of the St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Ugbenu, Awka north local government area of Anambra state was on Tuesday beaten to a state of coma by some youths.
The priest identified as Rev. Fr. Fidelis Ifeanyichukwu Ugozo was reportedly attacked by youths of Obubo community in the state over the suspicion that the priest and some of his followers were trying to destroy the shrine of a deity in Obubo community.
Reports said that trouble started when the priest and some of his followers who were carrying out a rosary procession around some of the villages were stopped by one of the youth leaders in the village, Gabriel Ikegbunam, who felt the clergy man and his followers were out to burn down their deity.
The priest and his followers insisted on going on with their procession but Ikegbunem stood his ground that they were not. He reportedly contacted other youths who stormed the area with dangerous weapons and attacked the priest and other worshipers. the priest, it was gathered, was stabbed in the face.
The priest was subsequently rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Ebenebe after the attack but was later transferred to St. Joseph’s hospital, Adazi Ani by the Ebenebe Deanery Chaplain.
It has been gathered that two of the rampaging youths have been arrested by the police.