A Catholic parish in Owerri has been thrown into shock following a break-in by suspected robbers who carted away sacred communion materials from the church.
The incident occurred at St. Mulumba Parish along Wetheral Road, where unknown assailants reportedly gained access to the church premises in the early hours of Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
According to church authorities, the attackers took advantage of rainfall to carry out the operation unnoticed.
In a statement issued by the Archdiocesan Chancellor and Secretary, Rev. Fr. Patrick C. Mbarah, the perpetrators allegedly removed parts of the roof and entered through the ceiling into the Chapel of Adoration.
They subsequently stole a monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament, an act described by the church as a serious desecration.
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The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, has ordered a one-week period of prayer and reparation in response to the incident.
The prayers are scheduled to hold daily from May 1 to May 8, between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., as the church seeks spiritual atonement for the violation.
Church authorities also used the opportunity to remind priests across the archdiocese to strictly adhere to guidelines governing the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
They emphasized that the sacrament must never be left unattended and should only be displayed when there is adequate presence of worshippers.
As of the time of filing this report, no arrests have been made, and the identity of the suspects remains unknown. The incident has raised concerns among parishioners and residents, with calls for improved security around places of worship.
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