12th July, 2010
P.M.NEWS learnt this morning that Nigeria’s dare-devil robbers, showing utter disrespect to even men of God, have attacked a Roman Catholic priest, plucking one of his eyes.
Their victim is Reverend Father M.O. Fayomi, one of the most senior priests in the Ekiti Diocese.
He was travelling 4 July on the road that links Ibokun in Osun State with nearby Ekiti State, when he was attacked by the bandits.
Sources close to Fr. Fayomi in the diocese said that the criminals stopped his car and asked him for money or any valuables.
The cleric’s plea that he was a man of God who had neither money nor earthly possessions did not move the robbers who brought out a sharp iron object and thrust it deep down his eye, leaving the man of God in pains and in blood.
The affected eye was almost out of the socket following the attack.
The bishop of the diocese, His Lordship, Rt. Reverend Felix Ajakaye, who was immediately informed about the attack, ordered that Fr. Fayomi be rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
Doctors at the hospital where he was taken decided to remove the dangling priest’s eye from its socket so that the other eye may not be affected.
The priest is currently recuperating in a hospital outside Ekiti State.
A native of Ikoro-Ekiti town, Fr. Fayomi was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in February 1982, and he became one of the seven most senior priests in his diocese.
He was ordained along with Rev. Fr. P.O. Olawunmi by the former bishop of the diocese, Rt. Reverend Michael Fagun.
Fagun, consecrated bishop in October 1971, retired this year after attaining the mandatory age of 75.