‘Why policemen were withdrawn from Assemblies of God Church’s factional leader’

THE police in Zone 9, Umuahia yesterday explained why they withdrew the orderlies attached to the factional G e n e r a l Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev Paul Emeka.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Jane Egwu, said the withdrawal followed last year’s Supreme Court judgment, which held that “Rev Paul Emeka is no longer the General Superintendent of the Church.”

The PPRO added that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone 9 approved the order for the withdrawal .

The explanation came as members of the church loyal to Emeka yesterday raised the alarm over the security and safety of their leader.

They alleged that operatives from the zone had laid a siege around his resid e n c e .

Emeka had taken the Inspector General of Police, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and 24 others to the Federal High Court, Enugu.

The church’s leadership had been factionalised since 2014, with the legal battle by the two parties still pending at the court.

Egwu added that policemen from the zone had on Friday discovered that, a vehicle allegedly stolen from Evangel University w a s parked at Emeka’s compound in Enugu.

She said this followed their investigate in a peti- tion from the university over the theft.

“The police detectives went to recover the bus and Paul Emeka’s staff refused to open the gate for them to enter. We discovered that there were policemen guiding him, and questioned how they were deplored there,” she said.

We questioned why an alleged stolen vehicle should be parked in the house of a defeated factional member of the church. Asked whether she was aware that Paul Okeleke, who is the Bursar of the school, was using the bus, she said, “Emeka remains a former general superintenden t . ”

She was also asked whether Emeka has been removed as the Chancellor of the school.

But Paul Emeka’s Personal Assistant, Rev. Richard Akwa, explained that the vehicle had been in the compound since the church’s crisis started. He added that Emeka, by the 2013 authority of the council of the church remains the chancellor of the school.

He said: “We have made this explanation, as well as the fact this matter is still in court, but the police seemed to have a determined agenda.

Akwa added that the Supreme Court judgment that the police is referring to, did not give an executor order.

He said the court had since ruled that a status quo be maintained in the matter, adding that the court did not give the right of possession to the faction led by Chidi Okoroafor.