By Prisca Nguzo
There was pandemonium in Orodo Community in Mbaitoli Council of Imo State as suspected gunmen on Saturday evening invaded a famous church in the area, God's Doing Healing and Deliverance Ministry and killed one, Mr. Samuel Ogbonna, an elder of the church.
The victim, owner of a popular restaurant and bar, "Feel at Home", until the incident was one of the youths leaders of the community and a close aide of the General Overseer of the church, Evang. Maduabuchi Ernest, popularly known as "Dibia Ekpere or Father MEMC".
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, one of the eyewitnesses who did not want his name in print said the gunmen numbering about eight arrived the church in a red Highlander and a black Lexus Salon car around 4pm and carried the attack in the midst of an ongoing church programme.
He disclosed that the victim on sighting the gunmen, took to his heel but was shot several from his back after they had giving him a hot chase into a nearby bush.
Photo: Late Elder Ogbonna According to the eyewitnesses, the gunmen who remained at the church while the other went after the victim, ordered the congregation to lie down and collected all their personal belongings including their cell phones, bags and cash.
Our reporter gathered that the gunmen, on leaving the church, kidnapped two members, a man and a nursing mother, but later released them along the major Owerri-Orlu road. They also made away with the church owner's car.
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The eyewitnesses said, "we were in the midst of our church prayer session, when some armed men rushed in and ordered every one of us to lie down while pointing their guns at us. Then, they started asking for Father MEMC. We told them that he was not around but they insisted that he was around. They searched everywhere for him but couldn't find him. I guess they were provoked by the absence of Father MEMC. They took two of our members and forced them into one of the cars parked within the church premises which belongs to Father MEMC.
"While driving out of the church compound, we heard several gun shots followed by a loud shout which we later learnt was from one of us, Elder Ogbonna. Elder Ogbonna, was coming into the church to rejoin us in the ongoing programme after he had left for an errands but on seeing them, he ran into a nearby bush but they pursued him and shot him severally there. After driving few kilometres, they released those our two members who they had earlier kidnapped."
"As we speak everyone of us is living in fear. Many of us including Orodo indigenes have all left the church and the community. Even those who came with their sick ones for prayers at the church have also taken them home.
"In fact, the church has been closed and whereabouts of some of us still unknown because many ran into the bush then. This is really unfortunate and we pray for God's mercy."
Evang. Maduabuchi Ernest (Dibia Ekpere)
Efforts to get the reaction of the church General Overseer, over the incident yielded no result as several calls put through his telephone line received no response from his end, until the time of filling this report.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye confirmed the incident and said the operatives of the command has commenced manhunt for the perpetrators of the attack.
Okoye who assured that the Command would leave no unturned in a bid to ensure that those behind the attack and other senseless killings are arrested and brought to face justice, also urged residents of the State not to hesitate in providing the command actionable intelligence that would help to rid the state of criminal elements.
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