Police arrest female pastor over traditional worshipper’s lynching

Operatives of the Lagos Police Command have arrested a female pastor with the Truth and Spirit Prophetic Church Oko-Oba in Lagos, Mercy Okocha, 50, and nine members for allegedly stoning an Oro worshiper, Akeem Agboola, 25, to death.

It was gathered that the incident occurred while the church located at Sanni Taiwo Lawal Street, Pooposhola in Oko-Oba was having its monthly vigil and prophetic hour.

The lynched traditionalist and others were said to have stormed the service and demanded its abrupt end since there was an announcement that there would be Oro.

The female pastor, it was gathered, tried explaining to them that they were conducting their vigil Inside the church and so, have not committed any offence but the Oro worshipers would have none of it.

They were said to have started beating some of the church members and attempted to set the premises ablaze which prompted some of them to flee the scene.

Those who could not escape, it was learnt, confronted the invaders and threw stones at them.

A witness said the church members defended themselves from the assault of the Oro worshipers, adding that no one died at the time the fight was on.

He said: “It was later that we heard one of them died. But what is the offence we committed for doing our thing inside the church?”

A police source who hinted on the development said they received a distress call around 6:30am that the church was about to be set ablaze.

“We rushed to the scene and discovered that there was a serious fight between Oro traditional worshipers and the church members. We were told that while the church was having its vigil the Oro worshipers were also having their sacrament.

“The Oro worshipers who felt that the church should not be robbing shoulders with them, ordered the church to stop their programme, the church refused, so there was fight between the two worshipers.

“During the fight, a traditional worshiper, Akeem Agboola, 25, was stoned to death by the church members. We arrested the Pastor of the church, Mercy Okocha, 50, and nine other church members, while the body of the Oro worshiper, was evacuated and deposited at a public morgue for autopsy.”

Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the incident, adding that an investigation had commenced.

(Nation)