Police:

A pastor in Afam, Rivers State, has been arrested  in connection with the murder of three persons – two women and a nine-month-old girl, all members of his church.

Mr. Cyril Okoro, the deputy commissioner of police disclosed the arrest  in Port Harcourt on Friday at a press briefing.  Okoro spoke on behalf of the commissioner, Zaki Ahmed.

The police alleged that the pastor (name withheld) murdered the three persons on Dec 13, 2017.

The victims were identified as Mrs Ada Ezeawa, Uluoma Onweagbo and her nine-month old baby, Christabel Joseph.

“The pastor in a most bizarre manner gruesomely murdered three of his own flock, including an unborn child,”Okoro said.

According to him, the pastor had a sexual  relationship  with 25 year-old Onweagbo, which resulted into a pregnancy.

On Dec 11, 2017,  Ada Ezeawa and Onweagbo, along with  her baby  strapped to her back, set out to confront  the pastor over the pregnancy.

DCP Okoro said the pastor ingeniously separated his accusers,  by luring Ada Ezeawa to an uncompleted building, while he told Onweagbo  to stay three “poles” away.

According to Okoro, the pastor  strangled Ezeawa in the uncompleted building

Moments after,  the suspect  rejoined Onweagbo and left with her and the baby on a tricycle (keke) to Afam Roundabout. From the roundabout, they took a motorbike to an isolated bush on Igberu Road.

According to  Okoro, the pastor murdered his second victim in the isolated bush, using the wrapper with which she strapped her baby to the back to suffocate her.

“The baby was equally discovered dead.

“This murder by the suspect is premeditated, callous and devoid of human sympathy,” he said

He said the suspect betrayed his ever-trusting girlfriend and  church members. He said the pastor manipulated the two victims, following the trust they had in him.

He said autopsy would be conducted on the three corpses for confirmation of  the cause of death.

The deputy commissioner said the suspect had confessed to the crime following overwhelming evidence, and would soon be arraigned court.

Meanwhile, the suspect has apologised to the family of the victims, claiming the killing  was the handiwork of the devil.

In another development, the Rivers Police Command  on Feb 20, 2018 paraded five suspects in connection of with the murder of Mr Ihuigwe, PDP ward chairman in Ogbogoro community.