Crime

Police arrest pastor for keeping rifles in church

Nigeria Police arrest pastor for keeping rifles in church. Policemen attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo State Police Command have arrested the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, Uratta, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state, Pastor Chiedozie Anochima, in connection with the February 22, 2017, robbery in a bank.

 

The attack on the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank in Owerri, the state capital, left two policemen dead, with another injured, while one of the armed robbers was gunned down during the operation.

 

The police, who had since rounded up the fleeing members of the gang, said the arrest of the cleric during a church service last Sunday was a major breakthrough in the investigation of the crime.

 

A police source said on Wednesday that the arrest of the last member of the gang, Chinonso Onwugbuchlam, one year after the incident, helped the police to arrest the pastor.

 

The source disclosed that it was in the course of interrogation that Onwugbuchlam, who was arrested by F- SARS operatives in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, mentioned the pastor’ s name.

 

He said, “Onwugbuchulam named one Pastor Chiedozie Anochima as one of them. The pastor is 36 years old and he is the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, a church in Urratta, in the Owerri North LGA.”

 

“Onwuegbuchulam led the F- SARS operatives to his church where we arrested him during a church service. The pastor was surprised to see us. We swooped on him and arrested him immediately. That was last Sunday,” the source said.

 

The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the arrest of the cleric was a big breakthrough for the command.

 

He said, “Yes, it is true. We have arrested the pastor and he is with us. You know that criminal investigation is like kerosene; it spreads. The more you investigate a crime, the more it spreads.

 

Read Also: My husband brought Imam to sleep with me for rituals – Wife tells court

 

“We are working harder to make sure that all those involved in the bank robbery at Zenith Bank in 2017, do not escape justice. We will parade the pastor before newsmen very soon.”

 

Our correspondent gathered that the arrest of the pastor, which caused a stir during the church service, made members of his church to flee.

 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
towncrierng

Recent Posts

RIVERS PDP TURNS WIKE LOYALISTS TO SECURITY GUARDS, PLANS DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

By Memoye Oghu The acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state,…

2 months ago

Fake News! No presidential order to reinstate Obasa

  Claims that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the reinstatement of former Lagos State House…

2 months ago

Comptroller Babandede Charges Newly Promoted Officers On Greater Service and Competence

  The Customs Controller, Area 2 Command, Onne, Comptroller Muhammad Babandede has charged newly promoted…

2 months ago

Activist slams Obasa: Warns against provoking Lagos unrest

    Dr. Wale Ajewunmi, a prominent civil and political rights activist, has urged former…

2 months ago

Lagos Assembly fires back: Obasa’s impeachment stands

  The Lagos State House of Assembly has firmly responded to former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa’s…

2 months ago

Rivers: Supreme Court Fixes February 10 To Hear Five Cases

  The Supreme Court, today, fixed February 10, 2025, for the hearing of five separate…

2 months ago