LOKOJA—Kogi State Police Command has paraded seven persons for allegedly
posing as bishop, pastors and prophets during a revival programme in
Lokoja, capital of Kogi State.
Those paraded include Bishop
Bamidele Abraham of Eagle Kingdom Church, Lokoja and Pastors Chucks
Ingalis Kelvin, Chinedu Okosisi, Samson Prince, Osita Chuckwu, Samuel
Ike and Nnenanaya Anthony Ikechukwu. They were said to have come from
Port Harcourt, Rivers State into Lokoja.
State Commissioner of
Police, Muhammed Kastina who paraded the suspects said they were
arrested while conducting ‘deliverance’ for people at a revival
programme organised by one of them in Lokoja.
According to
Muhammed, Bishop Bamidele who is the pastor-in-charge of Eagle Kingdom
Church, Lokoja was said to have contacted Pastor Chuks from Port
Har-court to help raise money for his book launch.
Sources said
Chucks, who was an expert in such ventures came with members of his
team, some of who acted like mermaid; deaf and dumb persons while others
claimed to have been afflicted with other sicknesses during the revival
to sway the sympathy of those in attendance.
However, a member
of the congregation who felt uncomfortable with the way the pastors were
conducting the deliverance, reported them to the police which moved in
swiftly and arrested the suspects.
One of the suspects, Pastor
Chuks, however defended his action saying, “This is not robbery, its
pure professionalism. Every profession has its own way of surviving. The
police have their own way, the lawyers have their own way; even you
journalists have your own way; what I did is pure business and survival
instinct.’’
Also, Pastor Osita Chukwu who posed as mermaid said
she was promised N16, 000 while leaving Port Harcout to Lokoja but they
only got N1, 000 pending the conclusion of the botched revival
programme.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Police Command Tuesday paraded a
nine-man syndicate of suspected armed robbers, including a security
guard and his two brothers. The gang allegedly stole exotic vehicles
from the employer of the security guard and sold the vehicles for N10
million.
The vehicles, which have been recovered by the police
were a Fortune SRS Jeep and four 2011 Toyota Camry cars, stolen from an
Indian company in Lagos.
The state command’s spokesperson, DSP
Ngozi Briade disclosed that the vehicles were recovered from
Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State, by detectives attached to the Lagos State
Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, led by SP Abba Kyari.
According to her,
the incident, which occurred on May 19, was reported at the Area ‘J’
Command, Lekki, by the management of the company before it was
transferred to SARS.
Briade said the security guard, who
allegedly masterminded the operation, connived with his brothers, who
later co-opted others that stole the vehicles and disposed of them to a
receiver in Akwa-Ibom State.
The police spokesperson, however,
disclosed that the vehicles were recovered in batches following the
confessional statements of the suspects, adding that the suspects were
in police custody, except one who was currently receiving treatment in a
hospital.
She said the suspects would be charged to court for robbery as soon as investigation was concluded.
However,
Vidani, while expressing happiness over the outstanding performance of
the Police, stated that he was amazed about how the police was able to
recover the vehicles and arrest the suspects within a short time.
The Indian businessman observed that the Nigeria Police could do much more, if given the necessary support and logistics.
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