Three Deeper Life Church attack suspects held in Edo

Three Deeper Life Church attack suspects held in Edo


Three people, including a woman, who are believed to be the prime suspects in the killing of 20 worshippers in a church in Okene, Kogi State on Monday, have been arrested, the police said yesterday.

The Deeper Christian Life Ministry yesterday began the grim but inescapable task of burying the dead. The burial continues today in Okene, where a dusk-to-dawn curfew has paralysed business and social lives.

Governor Idris Wada imposed a curfew on the town on Tuesday after another attack which led to the death of two soldiers.

Some prominent Okene politicians have also been arrested and taken to Lokoja, the state capital for interrogation in connection with the killings.

The church’s General Superintendent, Pastor William Kumuyi, described the killings  as “not only wicked, but utterly premeditated”.

Police commissioner Mohammed Musa Katsina said the three suspects were arrested in Eika Dagun,  Okehi Local Government Area.

Parading the suspects, the commissioner said they were arrested at Ibillo in Edo State after a gun duel.

The Police chief said the woman suspect is an accomplice who (at night) aided the transfer of the ring leader, who allegedly killed two soldiers, to Ibillo.

The commissioner declined to mention the names of the suspects, but said more arrests had been made.

“I cannot give their names or accurate number of those arrested, for now. They are in our custody and we have already commenced investigation to ascertain their involvement so as to deal with the situation once and for all. More arrests would be made in due course,” he said.

Katsina warned hospitals and traditional bullet extractors to inform the police if any person with bullet wound comes to them or face being treated as an accomplice.

“Whoever conspires with criminals to inflict pains on the people will be dealt with by the law. The campaign to rid the state of crime and criminality holds no bound,” he warned.

The police chief said they recovered one of the rifles used in the attack.

According to him, the police will enforce the curfew imposed in Okene and the restriction of commercial motorcyclists from 6pm to 6am.

The Nation learnt that some of the politicians being interrogated by the security agents in Lokoja are former officials of the Okene Local Government Council.

The politicians, besides the three other suspects that were paraded by the police in Lokoja, a source said, were picked up following the suspicion that Tuesday’s shooting was allegedly targeted at the caretaker chairman of the council.

He said: “The gunmen did not attack the Central Mosque. Some people in the Mosque were injured as a result of stampede when they heard the shootings.

“The chairman was said to have been in the office when the gunmen arrived and started shooting. After the killing of the two soldiers who were deployed to protect the area, the gunmen fired bullets at the office of the caretaker chairman, apparently to kill him.

“He was said to have lay flat on the ground in his office while the shooting lasted.

“A former chairman of the council, who is believed to be planning a comeback is said to be among those picked in connection with the shooting.”

Members of the Deeper Christian Life Church who lost loved ones have begun the burial of the dead.

An unspecified number of the victims was buried on Tuesday; three were said to have been buried yesterday.

More are also likely to be buried today, according to a pastor of the church who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The source said: “Many families said they want to bury their dead. So, the church had to grant their request.

“The church also believes that burying the dead would help grieving family members to come to terms with the reality and facilitate the healing process.”

The source added: “We have no intention to carry out a revenge because it would be totally against the biblical injunction, which stipulates that vengeance belongs to God.

“Again, since nobody knows those who carried out the attack, where do you direct your anger? So, we have decided to leave everything to God.”

Additional troops were drafted to Okene yesterday to strengthen security.

Pastor Kumuyi expressed deep sadness and sorrow over Monday night’s attack on members of the church.

Pastor Kumuyi, in a statement by the Church’s Secretary, Jerry Asemota, said: “It is hard to reconcile that peace-loving people, sitting in their church, and listening to Bible Study were gunned down in cold blood by people they had done nothing to provoke.”

He urged the government to come to terms with the fact that a large swathe of people are being sent to the grave early, even as law enforcement agents seem unable to provide the required protection for all law abiding citizens.

All these, he said, have implications for the progress, development and well-being of the nation.

He noted that these killings and destruction have been going on, particularly in the northern part of our country, for too long.

Each time they occurred, he observed, the usual condemnations are made, but thereafter, the people are left without any assurance of their security and safety.

No nation can continue this way, Pastor Kumuyi said, and called for more prayers by Christians across the nation.

The preacher said he firmly believed that when Christians pray, the Almighty God in heaven answers.

“If the body of Christians would rise up and pray, and the law enforcement agencies would intensify their efforts to combat this creeping instability, the killings and destruction in our country would be stemmed,” he said.

Pastor Kumuyi urged all Christians not to despair, adding: “In times like these, when there is so much fear across the land, all Christians must see it as an opportunity to serve God more fervently.”

He sent his condolences to the families of all those who were killed in the attack, and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.

Pastor Kumuyi assured them that he would continue to pray for them.

“The blessings of God are not all fulfilled in 99 days, but they never fail.

“The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former. Keep faith aglow,” the statement said.