Police confirms death of Redeemed Pastor in Owerri

THE police command in Imo has confirmed the death of a senior Pastor in Owerri, Thompson Onyekwuru, while trying to separate a fight between a couple in the state.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Mike Abattam, said that the incident occurred at Umukoto Nekede in Owerri, adding that Onyekwuru was a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God ( RCCG) in the state.

The police, according to News Agency of Nigeria, ( NAN), said Onyekwuru, 62, was trying to prevent Obumneke Onyemechileuzo from stabbing his wife, Ogechi Onyemechileuzo, during a fight between the couple, before he was allegedly killed.

Abattam said that the husband, Obumneke, later died of gunshot wound he sustained.

“Following a distress call on 19/ 7/ 2021 about 1400 hours, the police at the Divisional Police Headquarters Nekede, Owerri, got information that one Obumneke Onyemechileuzo, armed with a kitchen knife was beating his wife, Ogechi Favour Onyemechileuzo.

“When a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church Owerri, Pastor Thompson Onyekwuru, intervened by stopping him from stabbing his wife, the suspect rushed at him, stabbed him on his back and he fell down unconscious.

“On arrival at the scene, the police team saw the suspect seriously beating his wife, threatening to stab her and ran to prevent him from stabbing his wife. “On sighting the police, he attempted stabbing one of the officers on the neck and he was shot on the leg in self- defence.

“He fell down and was immediately disarmed. “But the victims and the suspect were rushed to Rosana hospital where the doctor on call referred the victims to Human Race Hospital, where the pastor and the suspect were confirmed dead.

“The woman was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital and she is responding to treatment, while the corpses were deposited at Agbala Mortuary, Agbala,” Abattam said. The command’s spokesperson said the exhibit knife was taken to the station, while the Commissioner of Police had ordered investigation into the case to unravel the cause of the incident.