Soldiers kill Redeemed Church pastor, injure many in Warri
Soldiers in Warri have allegedly shot dead one
Pastor Andrew Icroyin attached to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Opuraja town, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Nigerian Times learnt that the death of the cleric followed a protest by members of the community over the unlawful arrest of some leaders of the vigilante group in the community who had been picked up by the soldiers consequent upon an armed robbery attack.
The military men, led by one Captain Musa, according to eyewitnesses, had invaded the area around 4am in two hilux Vans, to arrest the vigilante leader, Wilfred Mujakperuo and community chairman, Godswill Eyaguobor, for interrogation.
According to eyewitnesses, they were apparently reacting to an armed robbery attack which had earlier in the night occurred along the Sapele/Warri express road in a community nearby.
When the soldiers got to the community, they were said to have located the chairman’s house, demanding that he should reveal to them where the hoodlums found the logs of wood to block the road before they robbed the area.
However, the soldiers accused the vigilante leaders of not doing their job effectively, took them in their van and tied them against their vehicles until it was about 6am, the same morning.
The youths in the community were said to have mobilized in protest against the manhandling of their leaders before the soldiers started shooting sporadically.
Pastor Icroyin was allegedly shot during the incident, leading to his instant death, while many youths were injured during the melee.
The late cleric who was in his thirties was reportedly married with kids and would be buried on Saturday 5th July 2014 in Opuraja town.
In an interview with Eyaguobor, the community chairman, he denied knowledge of the robbery incident, adding that security forces had unfairly treated residents of the area.
“The youths in the community are not criminals, none has been caught robbing in the community or engaged in any act of violence,” he said.
The community leader said they had been working with the security officers around the area, insisting that most robbers caught after proper interrogation, were discovered to have come from far away communities.
He alleged that some community elders who saw blood on the victims and came to make peace were thoroughly beaten up by the military, taken in their Vans and driven away.
Mujakperuo, the Vigilante group leader stated that he had alerted the police during the robbery operation, adding that they didn’t pick the calls until the criminal operations ended.
The Orodje of Okpe, Orhue I, who later intervened expressed his disappointment over the incident, blaming the soldiers for the action.
Community sources stated that the soldiers during a peace meeting with the leaders, admitted shooting sporadically, but denied that they killed the deceased.