Suspected assailants, Friday evening, fled after killing the General Overseer of Mount of Solution Redeemed Church, Ikot Ekang in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Apostle Elisha Asuquo.
The Pastor in-charge of the church, Pastor Aniekan Ibanga was also shot dead by the unknown gunmen.
The incident was said to have occurred at the premises of the National Headquarters of the church around 7 p.m. when the duo were having a meeting in the church.
The assailants were said to have stormed the church premises on a motor-cycle and after committing the crime, left through Abak-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway.
The late Apostle Elisha Asuquo hailed from Adiasim in Essien Udim Local Government Area, while Pastor Aniekan Ibanga was a native of Ikot Obioikpa Village, Afaha Obong Clan in Abak Local Government Area.
Also read
- Celebrations greet killing of Notorious Robber in Akwa Ibom
- Court Acquits NYSC member accused of killing boyfriend in Akwa Ibom
- Hunter Flees After Killing Kinsman In Akwa Ibom
The killing of Apostle Asuquo may not be unconnected with alleged altercation he had with one married woman whom he waded in to resolve her dispute with the divorced husband.
The woman dissatisfied with the mediation, according to the undisclosed source, vowed to deal with him, a threat the deceased took with a pinch of salt.
Speaking with Ibom Nation reporter, a Community Leader in Ikot Ekang, Bishop John Jeremiah Kpongkpong described the killing of the two men of God as shocking, stressing that such ugly incident has never happened in the community before.
“It was around 8 p.m., I was attending a church programme when somebody called and asked me whether I have heard that Prophet Elisha and his Pastor have been shot dead. While still on that call, another person came in and told me that Prophet Elisha and Pastor Aniekan have been killed.
“I had to close from the church and rush to the palace of the Village Head to inform him of what has happened. After informing the Village Head, he instructed me to call the police which I did.
“On getting to the church premises, I saw many people gathering while policemen from Abak Division were performing their duty,” Bishop Kpongkpong narrated.
The man of God appealed to the Commissioner of Police and the state government to investigate the matter.
On Saturday morning, our reporter was at the Palace of the Village Head of Ikot Ekang when a delegation from Ikot Obioikpa Village in Afaha Obong led by the Village Head, Chief Christopher Udotim visited.
Chief Christopher Udotim said they were in the palace of the Village Head of Ikot Ekang to enquire whether there was any issue reported about the church before which according to him, may have led to the killing of their son, Pastor Aniekan Udosen.
Also speaking, the Youth President of Ikot Obio Ikpa Village, Mr. Alphonsus Alphonsus Okoro, described the killing of their son as painful and a great loss.
Okoro called on the two villages to cooperate and investigate the matter with a view of bringing the culprits to book.
On his part, the Youth President of Ikot Ekang Village, Mr. Godwin Adahada explained that the assassination of the two men of God has thrown the entire community into confusion as to what may have been the cause of such dastardly act perpetuated by men of the under-world.
Mr. Adahada described the late Prophet Elisha as a very humble and peaceable man of God who had no questionable character since establishing the church in the community.
“The late Prophet Elisha was a very peaceful man of God, very sociable. Since he came to this village to establish a church, we have not heard of any questionable character,” Adahada stated.
The Youth President described the incident as sad, painful and unfortunate and called for proper investigation to be carried out so as to fish out the perpetuators of the heinous crime.
On his part, the younger brother to the late Pastor Aniekan Ibanga, Mr. Uduak Ibanga Udosen, narrated how his late brother struggled with the assailants, before they over-powered him.
Mr. Uduak Ibanga hinted that he recovered the two phones of his late brother in a nearby bush, but the money he left the house with had been removed by his assailants.
Responding, the Village Head of Ikot Ekang, Chief Okon James Udo thanked the Village Head of Ikot Obioikpa and his delegation for the visit, describing the incident as unprecedented in the history of the village.
The Village Head stated that he has never heard of any issue of crises in the church since its establishment.
Chief Okon Udo appealed to security agencies and the state government to properly investigate the matter.
When Straightnews publisher called the State PPRO on telephone on Monday, Odiko MacDon confirmed that Akwa Ibom police are aware of the sad incident.
The Chief Superintendent of Police said the police are investigating the matter, assuring that they would definitely bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to book.
