By Chimezie Anaso
Mother Susan Foundation (MSF), an NGO, has promised to support the people of Ebenebe and other communities in Awka North Local Government Area, who were attacked during a burial ceremony.
The MSF made the pledge on Friday, in a condolence message to Mr Ferdinand Onwuje, chairman of the council, made available to newsmen in Awka.
The condolence letter was signed by Mr Oliver Okennah and Mrs Ifeoma Okennah President and Project Manager of the Foundation respectively.
The News Agency Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that no fewer than 17 persons, who gathered for a burial ceremony on Feb. 26, were attacked and killed, and many wounded by suspected cultists in Ebenebe Community.
The assailants also desecrated the body of the deceased, who was lying in state in preparation for the burial, leaving people of the community with grief and in fear.
MSF described the incident as shameful, barbaric and unwarranted, and urged the relevant authorities to unmask those behind the dastardly and make them to face the law.
The Foundation said as a way of providing succour to the people and cushioning the effect of the attack on them, it would extend its empowerment programme to the area.
According to the Foundation, such a calamity has never fallen on the community since its existence.
“We express our sympathy to the families that lost their loved ones in the ugly incident.
“Majority of those who died were youths, who still had their entire lives ahead of them; and many of them had been working hard to help their kids fulfill their dreams.
“Our hearts are broken for the children, family, brothers and sisters that lost their loved ones in that attack, and we call for proactive action to prevent such tragedy anywhere in the future,” he stated.
Okennah said MSF aimed to empower no fewer than 150 youths annually for the next 10 years, as well as assist in providing grassroots projects in communities through its Youth Empowerment and Skills (YES) Centre.
He said that a set of programmes outlined for the community members would accommodate a youth empowerment and skills acquisition centre.
“In furtherance of our efforts to create a better citizen through engagement, MSF has proposed Youth Empowerment and Skills (YES) Centre, through which we aim to uplift between 100-150 youths annually for the next 10 years.
“In the past, the foundation had empowered and supported youths, students, women and children through skilled jobs, education awareness, financial uplifting and community projects.
“This time, we shall celebrate all deserving teachers, present and past, who had taught and mentored in Ebenebe, Awba-Ofe Mmili communities,” he stated.
The group encouraged women to ensure they kept tap of what their spouses and children were doing for a living, as well as the type of friends they were keeping, to shield them from getting involved in cult activities. (NAN)
