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| Mere illustrative Photo Credit: Gistmania |
A pastor in charge of Royal God’s Commandment Ministry International in Calabar, Mr. Tony Ekpe, has been arrested alongside six other members after a shallow grave containing fetish items and suspected human parts were exhumed in the church on Thursday.
Investigations into the suspected diabolical activities of the pastor commenced after a lady in the area complained that her daughter was missing.
While the police said the shallow graved contained fetish items, birds and some suspected human flesh, residents of the area alleged that the uncovered flesh were body parts of human beings.
Already, angry mobs burnt down the church located at No. 3 Okon Edak Street, off Atamunu Street in the Calabar-South axis of the Cross River State capital.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, who confirmed the arrest of seven persons in connection with the items unearthed, said investigation, was ongoing.
He said, “A matter was reported to us and the police swung into action. When they got there, the policemen saw some fetish things within the surrounding of the church and they discovered a shallow grave.
“They dug it and they saw birds buried alive, close to the grave there was blood stains. They saw flesh which only the hospital can analyse. Seven people have been arrested including the said pastor of the church.”
An eyewitness, Linus Ita, alleged that some corpses were exhumed from the shallow grave.
He said, “The pastor killed a small child in the early hours of Thursday and that was what brought out his diabolic activities. Someone sighted him when he was digging the ground to bury the child. They discovered at least five corpses in the grave and other items.
Items found in the church
“Apart from dead bodies exhumed at the site of the incident, there were also woman’s panties found at the place. The pictures of people who visited the place for assignment littered the ground after the place was brought down.”
Another eyewitness, Mary Okoro, said on Wednesday, a lady had lamented that her child was missing, unfortunately some strange movements were noticed in the church at about 3am on Thursday.
“It was that strange movement that gave the clue that something was not adding up in the church. At that point, some persons went to report the matter to the police that they suspected foul play around the church. That was how the grave was discovered,” she said.
Although Okoro could not confirm the number of dead bodies exhumed from the shallow grave, she said the angry mob decided to burn down the church after they discovered that the pastor’s activities were fetish.
Culled from Punch Newspaper
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