The Ebonyi State Police Command has
confirmed the murder of a man, Philip Ugwu, 60, by suspected worshippers
following a land dispute in Afikpo Local Government Area.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr George Okafor, said on Monday that the incident occurred at Amebo-Ndebo village.
Okafor said that the matter was reported
to the police on Sept. 30 by the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Abani Ugwu,
adding that one Tochukwu Okoh, an evangelist, had been arrested in
connection with the incident.
He said the deceased’s wife alleged that Okoh and three others attacked her husband with stones.
The officer also quoted the widow as
saying that her husband who could not withstand the attack eventually
became unconscious and was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed
dead.
He said that his body had been deposited in a mortuary and would undergo autopsy.
The spokesperson said that the
divisional police officer for the area led a team of detectives and
anti-crime patrol officers to the scene and arrested the suspect.
He said, “We are currently on the trail
of other suspects and I am sure that they will soon be arrested due to
the useful information at our disposal.
“We assure the public that the matter will be investigated thoroughly while the culprits will be duly prosecuted.”
The victim, popularly called Boxer or
Coach, had argued with the worshippers in a new generation church over
the erection of a fence to demarcate their lands.
An eyewitness said, “We heard Boxer’s
wife screaming that her husband had been attacked by some worshippers
and before we could get to the scene, he was lying unconscious.
“He was immediately rushed to the
hospital but his wife identified one of the attackers still with a stone
who was immediately apprehended and handed over to the police.
“The victim’s wife explained that he had
purchased and built on the parcel of land even before the church came
to lay claim over it.”
The witness said that the matter had
previously been reported to the traditional council during which the
head pastor of the church, still at large, was invited.
This news first appear on Punchng.com
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