Also, Igbo youths under the aegis of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has vowed to resist any further onslaught on the Catholic Priest.
Mbaka had been on the receiving end since he condemned the current state of insecurity, deprivation, and hunger in the country.
He was immediately visited with heavy sanctions by Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Enugu Catholic Diocese banned him from commenting on issues relating to politics.
Mbaka was also said to have disclosed at adoration ground on Sunday that he had been invited by the DSS for questioning.
Reacting to Mbaka’s recent travails, Pastor Iyiogwe warned that “nothing can stop the voice of the man operating under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.”
He called on Governor Ugwuanyi and Southeast leaders, the Catholic Church and the entire leadership of the church in Nigeria to rise up to ensure that Fr. Mbaka was not harassed any further.
“Fr. Mbaka is speaking out the evil in our country which many church leaders and senior citizens have failed to speak against because of fear of persecution.
“Nigerians are dying of hunger! People are being killed here and there even in their homes, villages, farmlands and on the roads. Businesses are closing up in all parts of Nigeria. Our Naira is valueless.
“We, the political and church leaders, have failed Nigeria and God. It’s only the truth, which we are fighting against, that will save Nigeria from her many terrible troubles which are man-made.”
In a related development, there is an indication that the Department of State Services (DSS) may have rescinded its decision to invite Catholic Priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka to Abuja for interrogation.
Mbaka had, last Sunday, told worshippers at the adoration ground that operatives of the DSS visited the church to deliver the letter of invitation but did not meet him at the church premises.
The operatives were said to have been told to come on Monday when they would meet the priest.
But, checks at the adoration ground by The Nation yesterday indicated that the secret security operatives did not show up on Monday neither did they come yesterday to deliver their letter.
This, it was learned, is fueling speculations that the DSS may have dropped the summons.
One of the security men at the Emene Ground, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said that Fr. Mbaka was in the office on Monday and yesterday but did not see anyone with such an invitation letter.
“I have been here since yesterday and I have not seen anyone coming to deliver any letter. Father (Mbaka) has been in his office. He is not running away,” the source said.
Details of why the intelligence unit had wanted to summon the Priest were not stated but it might not be unconnected with Mbaka’s criticism of the Buhari government in recent times.
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has said it would only react to the invitation by the DSS if it sees its contents.
Spokesman of the diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, said: “Mbaka is our Priest and we would do anything to protect him. But in this case, we cannot talk about people we don’t know and didn’t see.
“All we know about it was what Fr Mbaka said that the DSS came. He didn’t see them.”
