‘They said their cows will graze inside the church’ — Taraba seminary speaks on ‘herdsmen’ attack

A Catholic seminary in Jalingo, Taraba state, says it was invaded by herdsmen because they were not allowed to graze their cows inside the religious institution.

Sacred Heart Minor Seminary was attacked on Monday by suspected herders who reportedly shot a priest identified as Cornelius Kobah.

The armed intruders were said to have beaten up another priest and two students.

Emmanuel Atsue, who TheCable confirmed as the rector of the seminary, said the attackers invaded the institution with “sophisticated” weapons.

Writing via his Facebook page, he said the attackers were aggrieved that they were not allowed to graze within the seminary and its surroundings.

He wrote: “They shot sporadically at the rector’s residence, broke window glasses in the process, (litered live bullets were collected by police) windscreen of one of the vehicles belonging to one of the priests.

“From their conversation we were able to understand that their grievances against us is that the security men in the seminary have been challenging their decision to graze right inside the seminary: around the classes, football field, laundry etc. They said even inside the church if they see grass their cows will graze.”

Atsue said normalcy was restored to the area with the prompt response of the police, army, and other security operatives.

He said none of the students were missing, although “two of them who were showing them (the attackers) the way to the father’s house suffered injuries from the sticks of the herdsmen”.

Atsue said the bishop has approved a one-week break for the seminarians “to enable them manage trauma for a while and to show themselves to their parents that they were safe”.