Murdered State House director buried amid tears
NEWS DIGEST – The Assistant Director of Training and Staff Welfare in the State House/Presidential Villa Abuja, Laetitia Naankang Dagan, who was recently murdered in her house in Abuja, was buried yesterday in her home town, Kwalla in Qua’Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Before the burial, a requiem mass was held in her honour at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Kwalla. The church was filled to capacity before 11 am, while the corpse arrived from Abuja at about 1pm amid wailing by the congregation and family members.
Miss Dagan’s coffin was briefly opened for her mother and siblings at the entrance of the church for them to see her for the last time before it was taken into the church.
Seeing her body generated fresh grief and wailing, as her mother was held by sympathizers into the church.
The Catholic Bishop of Shendam Diocese of Plateau State, Most Rev. Philip Davou Dung, said everyone must bear the irreparable loss, especially with the assurance that she was resting in the bosom of the Lord.
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The bishop said the insecurity in the country had made the nation to become a fearful place, and the citizens had become people to dread.
He disagreed with those saying that what happened was God’s wish, pointing out that the murder was not God’s wish because it had become the situation of the times and exhibited the wickedness of ‘man to man’.
He said the situation whereby people now live in fear was not appropriate because those perpetuating evil live in the society and did not drop from space, hence the insecurity should be curbed.
He described the deceased as a generous woman who was kind to all, adding that everyone should endeavour to live righteous as no one knows when his/her last day would come.
In his tribute, the Director, Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, State House/Presidential Villa Abuja, Abiye Whyte, said Dagan was a very dedicated staff who won a merit award of excellence in public service.
Whyte assured the family that their office and security agents would not relent until the killers are found and punished.
The younger brother of the woman, Ephraim Dagan, said what pained the family most was the manner she was killed, adding that upon hearing the news of her death, their mother collapsed. He said the family was demanding justice, and was working with the police on the issue.
