One year after, Madalla worshippers relive black Xmas

*The scars linger, survivors allege poor treatment by hospitals
*I nearly went mad after losing husband, three children – Victim

Almost one year ago, Christmas celebrations were brought to an  abrupt end when terrorists forced  their way into the premises of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Suleja, Niger State,  blew up the church and killed many worshippers.

Hell was let loose  at about 7:30 a.m. on December 25, 2011  as worshippers prepared for Morning Mass. No fewer than 40 people died and scores others seriously wounded in the  attack.

Although the incident has come and gone with numerous others trailing it nationwide, the attack on the church is still very fresh in the minds of the bereaved, while the scars on  victims will perpetually bring to agonizing memory  the grisly attack; especially as another Christmas beckons.

Recently, the church held Holy Eucharist Mass to celebrate and pray for quick recovery of those that survived the homb blast  that rendered many people orphaned, widowed, jobless, and traumatized.

Speaking at the mass, the Parish Priest, Rev. Father Isaac Achi, said it  was organized to pray for the departed souls, rapid recovery as well as the comfort of those who were not  only injured, but also  traumatized as a result of the attack. "Here we are to pray for comfort, pray for our lives, we pray God to grant eternal mercy to the departed souls. We also came to pray for those  who were injured, so many were hospitalized, we want to pray  to God for healing, pray for those that were not injured, but traumatized as result of the attack", he noted.

After a minute silence in honour of the departed souls,. Achi told the congregation that though it was painful to lose loved ones,  death is temporal; saying  eternity is what  people should build first by holding firmly to their faith in Jesus Christ.

The cleric added, "We lost our relatives, parents, children, friends, but we need to understand that there is resurrection. By the virtue of our faith, we know that our people are being given a place to sit by God's side. They were killed in  the course of service;  but  you and I are not being put to shame; it is a way to  tell the whole world that we still exist and we are not ashamed of Jesus Christ.

"We pray God who had called them to himself to let their death be a blessing to  us. I am sure a time to immortalize all those who died  in  the face of terrorism on Christians in the country will come and here may be the centre. They were killed because of faith and they shall not be forgotten".

At the service that saw the survivors  going home with some clothing and food items  as part  of support from the church, Sunday Vanguard observed that some of them  could not take part in the march by the congregation to the memorial cemetery within the church premises in honour of the deceased-victims as a  result of severe injury.

With the yuletide approaching, majority of people in the area called on government and  well-meaning Nigerians  to take a cue from their  experience  of last Christmas and be proactive on  the growing insecurity in the country, to forestall recurrence of the ugly incident.