Gunmen kills Lord’s Chosen Pastor in Lagos
Saved under News, Nigeria, Religion, WESTERN AFRICA
Tags: Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries
Please follow & like us :)
Suspected armed robbers on Monday killed a senior pastor at the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries.
The deceased, Pastor Chukwuemeka Akpokpo according to church members, was the Lagos zonal coordinator of the church founded by Lazarus Mouka, which has its headquarters in Ijesha, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.
It was learned that Akpokpo was gunned down by men operating on three motorcycles, who according to sources trailed him from a commercial bank around Apple Junction in Festac, Amuwo Odofin.
It was gathered that his assailants shot him severally to ensure he was dead before they sped off with the three million Naira (N3million) he was said to have withdrawn from the bank.
The Nation reports that there have been several incidences of motorcyclists ambushing bank customers along the busy Oshodi Apapa Expressway, with no arrest made by the police.
When the news of Akpokpo’s death broke in the church and his body brought, the church members reportedly prayed from that time till about 8pm, hoping a miracle will happen and he would resurrect.
The Pastor is believed to have had premonition about his death, as a church member was said to have claimed he complained of tiredness all Sunday night.
The said member had told others he slept in the same place with Akpokpo on Sunday night because they attended a crusade in Ogun state over the weekend.
According to one Mrs. Onyinye, Akpokpo was killed around 12pm on Monday.
The woman who said the Pastor was married with young children but does not know his residence, wondered why his assailants did not take the money and spare his life.
Onyinye who said the zonal pastor’s killers were hired assassins, explained that Akpokpo left his car and ran into the bush for safety but his assailants went after him.
“They started trailing him before he got to the bank. When he noticed they were pursuing him. He left his car and ran away. He ran into the bush and they followed him.
“We heard that his killers while shooting him said he should come and collect the post. It is not the first time they have attempted to kill him.
“There was a day he parked his car but before he could come out, all his tyres have been deflated. So, I don’t think it was just a case of armed robbery. They are hired assassins,” she maintained.
Similarly, one Mathew corroborated Chineye’s theory of assassination, adding that there are a lot of people who envied Akpokpo’s position as zonal coordinator in charge of Lagos.
“Pastor Emeka (Akpokpo) might have been assassinated by those who are envious of his position.
“Aside being zonal coordinator, he is in-charge of building and I am sure he was killed by some envious people who want to take over his seat.
“Many see him as being too favoured by the General overseer of the Church, (Mouka). Many of them were jealous of the Pastor who was trusted by the GO.
“In fact, the church did not believe it that the Pastor was actually dead. When his corpse was brought to the Church, we kept praying from 12.30 to 8p.m hoping that God would revive him because, we love him so much.
He was later taken to his home town, near Umuahia, Abia state around 8pm. Insisting that the deceased was assassinated, Matthew said his killers ensured he was dead before they left him.
He urged the police to consider other options and not just conclude that Akpokpo’s killers were armed robbers because they collected money.
He said: “Why I said so is that the Pastor offered all he had to the gunmen and they still went ahead to kill him.
“He was shot severally till he gave up the ghost. His killers made sure that they pumped enough bullets into his body and made sure that he died before they left the scene.
“If it was armed robbery attack, the robbers would have collected the money and left in a hurry, but the killers made sure they remained till he finally died.”
But another Church member, Madu however felt the bank staff must have conspired with the armed men to dispossess Akpokpo of the money.
He urged the police to interrogate the bank officer in-charge of the account the money was withdrawn from, adding that the person was aware the Pastor was coming to make such withdrawals.
“I can bet you that the robbery was an insider’s connection either from the bank or the church. He already notified the account officer he was coming for the money before leaving the Church.
“He was actually trailed to the bank by the robbers. The Police should interrogate the account officer of the bank,” said Madu.
When contacted the police spokesman for the state, DSP Ken Nwosu confirmed the incident.
He however stated that the Pastor was gunned by two armed men who operated on a motorcycle, adding that investigations were ongoing to unravel the culprits.
