Popular Imo based Pastor, ‘Dibia Ekpere’ escapes assassination as gunmen invade church, kill member

By Prisca Nguzo…

Evang. Maduabuchi Ernest, popularly known as “Dibia Ekpere last week Saturday, miraculously escaped assassination.

This was as suspected gunmen met his absence upon invading his church during an ongoing prayer session and fiercely demanding for him.

The popular Imo based cleric, also known as Father MEMC is the General Overseer of the God’s Doing Healing and Deliverance Ministry, Orodo in Mbaitoli Council of Imo State.

Our reporter gathered that immediately the gunmen, numbering about eight, arrived the church in a commando style, they ordered the congregation to lie down. They collected all their personal belongings including cell phones, bags, and cash.

They inquired about the revered man of God but were told that he was not around. The gunmen searched all the nooks and crannies of the church but still could not find him.

The report had it that the absence of the cleric angered them and they decided to abduct two members of the church, a man and a nursing mother.

On their way out, the husband of the abducted women, Mr. Samuel Ogbonna who was returning back to the church from an errand, upon sighting them took to his heel but the gunmen opened fire on him and shot him severally from his back as they flee.

The victim, an elder in the church and owner of a popular restaurant and bar, called Feel at Home, until the incident was one of the youths leaders of the community and a close aide of the General Overseer of the church.

Our reporter gathered that the gunmen who had mistakenly shot the deceased to be Dibia Ekpere, later released their abductors along the major Owerri-Orlu road. They also made away with the church owner’s car.

Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, one of the eyewitnesses who did not want his name on print disclosed that gunmen arrived the church in a red Highlander and a black Lexus Salon car around 4pm.

Narrating the attack, the eyewitnesses said, “we were in the midst of our church prayer session, when some armed men rushed in and ordered every one of us to lie down while pointing their guns at us.

“Then, they started asking for Father MEMC. We told them that he was not around but they insisted that he was around. They searched everywhere for him but couldn’t find him. I guess they were provoked by the absence of Father MEMC. They took two of our members and forced them into one of the cars parked within the church premises which belongs to Father MEMC.

“While driving out of the church compound, we heard several gun shots followed by a loud shout which we later learnt was from one of us, Elder Ogbonna. Elder Ogbonna, was coming into the church to rejoin us in the ongoing programme after he had left for an errands but on seeing them, ran into a nearby bush but they pursued him and shot him severally there. After driving few kilometres, they released those our two members who they had earlier kidnapped.”

“As we speak everyone of us is living in fear now. Many of us including Orodo indigenes have all left the church and the community. Even those who came with their sick ones for prayers at the church have also taken them home.

“In fact, the church has been closed and whereabouts of some of us till unknown because many ran into the bush then. This is really unfortunate and prayer God for His mercy.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the church General Overseer, over the incident yielded not result as several calls put through his telephone line received no response from his end until the time of filling this report.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye confirmed the incident and said the operatives of the command has commenced manhunt for the perpetrators of the attack.

Okoye who assured that the Command would leave no unturned in a bid to ensure that those behind the attack and other senseless killings are arrested and brought to face justice, also urged residents of the State not to hesitate in providing the command actionable intelligence that would help to rid the state of criminal elements.