Suspected cultists kill pastor in Imo
The lifeless body of a pastor, Friday Isinwa, of Seven Days Church of God was found on Monday near a pipeline after a two-day search by villagers.
There are suspicions that Isinwa, a farmer and father of four, may have been killed suspected cult members when he went to harvest cassava.
Some youths and women in Umuhuo, Ikwerrede-Awara community, in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State where Isinwa lived were said to have embarked on a protest against the killing after his body was found.
Residents believe a clash between rival cult groups in the community, which had led to the death of many persons, was the cause of Isinwa’s death.
“Pastor Isinwa went to one of his farmlands on Saturday to harvest cassava and did not come back,” a resident identified as Kingsley is quoted as saying.
Kinglsey added that his family members alerted other villagers that he was missing and a search party was organised on Saturday and Sunday.
“He was a pastor with Seven Days Church of God in this community. He had four children and was an easy-going man,” he said.
“The way we found him showed that his death was terrible; he was stripped naked and made to suffer before he died.
“The community is protesting and we want the government and security agencies to solve this problem in our community once and for all. We can’t continue to live in fear of some young men who have chosen to be thorns in our flesh,” Kingsley added.
