By Eric Moore
RIVERS Police Command on Thursday, paraded two alleged fake pastors apprehended by youths in Rumunduru in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), who spoke to journalists disclosed that the youth President of Rumunduru community, Henry Worlu, apprehended the suspects on January 20, 2024 and handed them over to the Police.
She said the suspects were Umoren Bassey and Elijah Aniete from Akwa Ibom State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command stated that one cartridge, a sword, fake naval passport, thousands of people pictures, one leg of children shoe, different crosses and spiritual materials were recovered during the raid.
She debunked the allegation that
live python and human skull were recovered.
One of the suspects, Umoren Bassey of Church of God Apostolic Deliverance in Eneka, Rumunduru, said he does prayer with spiritual materials the way God directed him.
He said: “You can use water and oil to heal people. I have lived there so long. It is a land case. I still have three weeks after court judgement that asked me to quit.
“They used it to set me up.The community planted some of the materials they claimed they saw in my church.They searched my house without warrant.
“I have been healing people, helping the community. I have lived there for 17 years. Some of the pictures you saw there were that of my son and some are that of my members.
“I use the small casket or miracle life oil to pray for mad persons.The mad person must be calm within three months. I use it to help the community people.”
Another suspect, Elijah Aniete, of Power of God House Ministry, disclosed that he was in Bassey’s church having a meeting with him when OSPAC (a vigilance group) and the community came and arrested them.
However, the Youth President of Rumunduru, Henry Worlu, in an interview with journalists stated that he was called by OSPAC commander in the community that Pastor Bassey was doing sacrifice at the road.
He said: “In the morning, we went to his church and he denied. He refused us entering, until we opened his chamber and saw all these items
“We did not see python and human body. Nobody assaulted him. We just handed them over to the Police.”