The spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Ejike Mbaka, has urged his parishioners and supporters to avoid being violent to avoid being classified as bandits.

He also advised them to stop castigating Bishop Callistus Onaga and the Catholic Church in Enugu.

The feisty priest made the call while addressing members of the ministry who converged on the church premises on Wednesday in Enugu for prayers.

Mr Mbaka, who returned to the Adoration ground since it was shut down by Mr Onaga, urged them to keep away from the church in obedience to the bishop.

Despite the closure of the church, hundreds of the Adoration faithful converged on the ground on a daily basis.

Addressing them, Mr Mbaka reminded them that closure was still in force and all activities remained suspended.

“I’m a priest of the Catholic Church and the bishop is my father. I swore an oath to obey him and his successors. I can not do otherwise,” he told the crowd.

He appealed to them to stop castigating the Enugu bishop. The cleric also urged his supporters to continue praying for Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate.

“I have come to bless you and to dismiss you. I don’t want you to go to the main road. I don’t want you to be pugnacious or to be cantankerous. I don’t want the adorers to be violent. I don’t want Adoration people to be classified as bandits for we are not bandits,” stated Mr Mbaka. 

The Catholic priest added, “We are obedient children of God. We love the mother church and the mother church loves us so much.” 

(NAN)