IDIROKO – Gunmen on Sunday invaded a Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) in Idiroko, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, southwest Nigeria and shot a prophet dead, police in the state said.
The assailants numbering three reportedly stormed the CCC Eagle Parish along Baggage Road, Odo Eran, Idiroko, around 10:30am and opened fire during the service, killing the 54-year-old prophet, Yomi Adetula, who appeared to be the target, and mangled his head with axe.
“Police officers raced to the scene and saw Yomi Adetula, ‘M’, aged 54 years lifeless in the pool of blood which stained his white celestial garment lying face up,” Ogun State Police Command’s spokeswoman Omolola Odutola said in a statement on Sunday afternoon.
“On careful observation, his body was riddled with bullets and his head was not speared… to ensure the victim was really dead, it was mangled with axe.
“On police inquiry, information further gathered that three men came into the church, brought out long double barrel gun aimed at their target and fire a shot that brought the deceased down,” the police statement said.
According to the Foundation for Investigative Journalsim (FIJ), Adetula was the Director, Anti-Arms Smuggling of the Social Orientation and Safety (So-Safe) Corps in the state and a key witness in an ongoing libel case.
Adetula is one of the witnesses listed by FIJ in its defence of the libel lawsuit filed by one powerful businessman, Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun aka IBD Dende, over FIJ’s undercover investigation and subsequent documentary on smuggling, and the ‘Good Morning Nigeria Customs’ posts by its founder Fisayo Soyombo.
“They first shot him but the bullets did not penetrate him,” a resident told FIJ. “They then proceeded to inflict fatal wounds on him with their other weapons, which include hammer and machete. From the way they operated, it’s clear they were hired assassins.”
According to police spokeswoman Omolola Odutola, the corpse has been deposited at the General Hospital Morgue, Ilaro.
She added that the command had begun moves to arrest the suspects who fled into the border area.
“Normalcy has been restored while possible clue will be revealed in the coming days as investigation has been launched into the very sad occurrence,” the police spokeswoman said.
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