•Hospital detains victims over unpaid bills
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
An attempt by Mgbalukwu people in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State to seek the face of God over alleged misfortunes and stagnation that had befallen them has turned tragic. No fewer than five people are now in hospital following bullet wounds inflicted on them by yet-to-be identified gunmen during a crusade organised by a man of God popularly known as Prophet Okunerere in the area.
Spokesperson of Ebonyi State Police Command, Onome Onovewakpoyeya did not pick calls placed to his phone to confirm the incident. Also, the State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Scamb Nwokolo declined to speak on the issue, saying that he had not received complaint over the dastard incident. However, the Ebonyi State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was reportedly investigating the matter.
Saturday Sun gathered that Paul Nwite, Mgbage Friday, Ominyi Mathias, Angelina Onwoshi and Onuvu Ukamaka sustained injuries when suspected assailants stormed the Onwonwiya market square in Mgbalukwu Community on September 10, 2023 and sprayed bullets on the congregants. Christian faithful at the religious programme said they were not apprehensive of any problem before they were attacked. Three of the victims were taken to Sudan Mission Hospital at Iboko, the Council headquarters, for medical treatment while two others with severe cases were referred to the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FETHA).
It was alleged that a cleric from Mgbalukwu community (names withheld) masterminded the attack following his grouse that a man of God from another village, Ndieoke Inyimagu in the same council area, was brought for the crusade instead of an indigenous minister. Village Chairman, Monday Nkwegu informed the reporter that the decision to engage Prophet Okunerere for the crusade was taken by the stakeholders of the community.
He also disclosed that the people of the community made financial contributions towards the success of the programme. Nkwegu, however, expressed shock that on the second day of the crusade, five gunmen invaded the place with a tricycle, attacked the worshipers and disrupted the event.
“Everywhere was peaceful before the programme and in the cause of planning, no one objected to the idea of holding the crusade but while everyone was busy praying, the men started shooting at us without any known reason. It was after some people had run away for their lives that we discovered that five of our brothers and sisters had been wounded,” he said.
Leader of the village vigilante group, Augustine Ede disclosed that it was the suspicious movement of the attackers with their tricycle that aroused his men’s curiosity. The eagle-eyed security squad immediately stopped them at the venue of the event without knowing that the people were on an evil mission.
One of the victims, Nwite told the reporter at the hospital that the gunmen accelerated dangerously in such a way that they almost injured some of the worshipers. This jolted the vigilante men who approached them for identification, but surprisingly, the invaders immediately opened fire on the innocent worshippers.
Another member of the vigilante group, Mgbage Friday, who also sustained bullet injuries, in his account said that his team was trying to find out from the people at the barricade in the market place, venue of the crusade, but in the process, a heated argument ensured between the two groups. Friday recounted: “As vigilante members, we stopped the people to know where they were going at that period of the night between 8:30 and 9:00pm but instead of them to identify themselves, they rather opened fire on us and along the line, shot at my two thighs.”
Another resident who did not want to be mentioned fingered a pastor from the area who according to him, was not happy over the choice of the villagers in bringing the prophet from another area.
“The attack was a by-product of envy from one of us who is also a pastor. The so-called man of God purposely wants to stop the crusade and in the long run, he had achieved his nefarious act after causing serious havocs to his own people,” he lamented. Saturday Sun gathered that Nwite and two other affected persons had been discharged by the Sudan Mission Hospital, Iboko after treatment but were held back following their inability to clear the medical bill of N213, 190. The management of the hospital insisted that the trio must settle the hospital bill.
