Crime News
Photos: 2 Nigerian Pastors, Church Founders Arrested With 5 AK47 Rifles In Imo State
March 7, 2015 – Pictures: 2 Nigerian Pastors, Church Founders Arrested In Imo State With 5 AK47 Rifles, Guns They Bought For Biafran Group
Detectives attached to the Monitoring Unit of the Imo State police command have arrested two General Overseers (GO) for alleged gunrunning. The suspects, Clifford Nmenabu, founder, God Covenant of Christ the King Sabbath Missionary and Festus Daniel Igwe of Zion House of Prayer Sabbath Missionary were alleged to have procured five AK47 rifles for use during the forthcoming general elections.
Speaking on how the suspects were busted, the state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali told Saturday Sun that the command acted on a tip-off which indicated that the suspects had acquired some firearms.
According to him: “On February 13, 2015, policemen led by the officer in charge of the Monitoring Unit, Superintendent of Police, Linus Nwaiwu stormed their churches in Oru East Local Government Area, arrested and recovered all the guns.”
CP Ali explained that in the course of investigation, it was discovered that the clerics were contracted by one Mr K. Nnamdi who they claim is based in London.
“The two clerics were given an advance cash of N300,000 for 10 pieces of AK 47 rifles and to be given a cash balance of N1.2million as soon as they deliver. The suspects were nabbed when they were about to hand over the five AK47 rifles to a group of persons who claim to be representing Biafra in the church premises of Pastor Igwe.”
The police boss also said that his command has declared Nnamdi wanted and would charge the suspects to court at the end of the investigation.
One of the suspects, Pastor Nmenabu, 67, said that apart from his ministry, he is dealing in arms. “I am the General Overseer of God Covenant of Christ the King Sabbath Missionary. I have been in the ministry for over 35 years. I am also into buying and selling of arms and ammunition. I was listening to Radio Biafra London when the broadcaster, who introduced himself as Nnamdi, gave out a number through which he can be reached. I called him and he explained that he is the coordinator of the popular Biafra group.
“I told him who I am and what I can do for the group. He gave me the contract and I decided to ask my fellow priest, Igwe who has contacts. He offered to pay N1.2 million for 10 AK47 rifles. He gave us N300, 000 as a deposit. We were waiting for the balance when policemen stormed my house and arrested us”, he confessed.The second suspect, High Priest Festus Igwe, 63, said that he is willing to assist the police to track down Nnamdi who is currently on the run. “I am the GO of the Zion House of Prayers Sabbath Mission. I was in the church, when Pastor Nmenabu contacted me that there is a good business on ground. I rushed to his church and gave me the details. Luckily, I still had contact with some arms dealers in Imo state.
He also introduced me to Nnamdi who gave us an advance fee of N300,000.
“We had delivered the five AK47 rifles and was waiting for Nnamdi to bring the balance when the police arrived. I am very sorry. I am ready to assist the police to track down Nnamdi”, he stated.
[Reported By Saturday Sun]
Francesca
March 7, 2015 at 6:36 AM
They are Biafran zionists please stop calling them pastors
obi
March 7, 2015 at 7:23 AM
what is wrong about that? who knows what will happen after the election? prevention is better than cure.taking precautions is not fear.
EGBERI MAMA 1
March 7, 2015 at 8:08 AM
why are you people sounding as if they are criminals ? ibo men generallyare like dat . they don,t indulge in only one business. nigerians know this. stopmaking a case out of nothing. some are bishops and still hv cosmetics shops . una dey fear AK47 ?THEY THREATENED NO ONE,NA THIER BUSINESS OF IMPORT ND EXPORT. LOOK 4 WANTED ND HARMFUL BOKO HARAM ND RELEASE INNOCENT PEO DOING THEIR DAILY BUSINESS TO FEED THIER FAMILIES.EVERY NIGERIAN IS GETTING READY AFTER THIS ELECTION !IF D ELECTION ENDS WELL ND SINCERE,GOOD! IF NOT, TO YOUR TENT, OH ISREAL.
ARKETOHN
March 7, 2015 at 10:05 AM
In a glare case of criminality; the Igbo man will call fraudulent activity “a business”, that is exactly who they are and how their mentality works in unapologetic pepertration of crime. You’ll always find the Igboman supporting and protecting his fellow Igbos in criminality. EGBERI MAMA sees no reason condemning these remnant Biafran separatists criminals clothed in the image Church General Overseers; rather he tries to divert attention to Boko Haram by drawing comparism or equalisation with Boko Haram. He does seem unaware the business of dealing in firearms is regulated by law and, the fact that Boko Haram has a free range of arms catche does not make same criminality right in other parts of the country. This same attitude was what led the Igbos to fight a fruitless civil war against the Nigerian State when they lost more than 2 millions people and, it all seem they have not learnt any lessons. Nigerians cannot live and coexist peacefully when you have people like the Igbos who always nurse the mentality of re-enacting the dead and stale Biafran war.
Ben
March 7, 2015 at 2:18 PM
@Egberi,What are u talking about here? Is it LEGAL to own or be possession of unlicensed firearms???
Please STOP this trash talk if u don’t know what u are saying.
Mtchwwwwww!!!
Prophet Gbenga Rotimi"KINI IWO NFE"
March 7, 2015 at 8:10 AM
May the Lord wipe-off the wolf among the sheeps that using the holy name(JESUS CHRIST) to cover up for evil in Jesus name(AMEN).
They were many in the society, when you see them they use big car’s, they own big big houses because they are after materials thing, if you dont use cars, have big church and living a mansion they dont recognise you as the true minister of GOD because they believed that the evil they do is permitted for the Lord and that is why they suceed in evil doing.
Am not saying am the best,may the Lord hold me with his mighty hand till the last day(AMEN).
*08038433483#
nancy
March 7, 2015 at 12:40 PM
They Re just doing their business and d same time pastoring their churches. They didn’t stole it
Leosstar
March 7, 2015 at 7:54 PM
Biafran rasta warlords
teepaul
March 7, 2015 at 7:58 PM
This ones na biafran war commandos
U b wawa
March 10, 2015 at 3:45 PM
Na so, evry citizen of naija beware. Dont b use by devils in dis 4thcoming election 2 pepertr8 their evil plans