Nigerian Police Parades An Imo State Traditional Ruler, Winners Chapel Pastor Over Kidnapping, and Defilement.

Hope Uzodinma.

The Nigeria Police in Imo State has paraded the traditional ruler of Awara in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo over his alleged involvement in kidnapping.

The traditional ruler was paraded along-side a pastor of the Winners Chapel in Njaba for alleged defilement of 11-year- old daughter of a fellow pastor. The command also paraded 31 suspects who allegedly committed various crimes, ranging from armed robbery, kidnaping and rape, among others.

speaking to newsmen, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Issac Akinmoyede, said a gang had kidnapped one Louis Obodo, at Mgbala Agwa and Insp. Oscar Mbaeri, in Agwa in Oguta Local Government recently, the trio of Chigozirim Nnaji, Desmond Okonkwo and Anyanwu Amarachi on July 19 and had abandoned their lexus 330 Jeep during an exchange of gun fire with operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Anti-kidnapping units of the command.

In an open confession, the traditional ruler told NAN that the syndicate paid him N3 million to use his Lexus 330 with registration number URM 404 EL during the kidnapping.

“My Nephew took my vehicle to do kidnapping, I am not one of them. Though they have used my vehicle about four times and they gave me money,” he said, but on his part, the head of the syndicate, Caleb Agu, said he provided spiritual guide for the gang.

The gang had Ikechukwu Njoku as Protocol officer; Ebenezer Obioha, as Operational Commander and executor; Fabian Obioha, the gang armourer while Bernard Uzoma, was the native doctor that provided protection from operational hazards and arrests.

On the rape allegation, the pastor denied complicity but admitted that he was tempted to commit the act, as according to him, he had just been transferred to the Njaba chapter of Winners Chapel and was waiting to be assigned his residential apartment, before another Pastor offered to harbour him until he secured his own accommodation.