A Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) senior pastor, Thompson Onyekwuru has died in a tragic manner
It was gathered that Onyekwuru died after being stabbed while separating fight between a couple in Umukoto Nekede Owerri, Imo State.
The Imo police command’s spokesperson, SP Mike Abattam, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, noted that Onyekwuru, 62, was trying to prevent Obumneke Onyemechileuzo from stabbing his wife, Ogechi Onyemechileuzo, during a fight between the couple when he was allegedly killed.
Abattam noted that the husband, Obumneke, later died of a gunshot wound he sustained, adding that on arrival at the scene, the police team saw the suspect seriously beating his wife and threatening to stab her.
“Following a distress call on 19/7/2021 at about 1400 hours, at the Divisional Police Headquarters Nekede, Owerri, that one Obumneke Onyemechileuzo armed with a kitchen knife was beating his wife, Ogechi Favour Onyemechileuzo, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church Owerri, Pastor Thompson Onyekwuru, intervened by stopping him from stabbing his wife. The suspect rushed at him, stabbed him on his back and he fell down unconscious.
“On arrival at the scene, the police team saw the suspect seriously beating his wife, threatening to stab her; the police ran to prevent him from stabbing his wife.
“On sighting the police, he attempted stabbing one of the officers on the neck and he was shot on the leg in self-defence. He fell down and was immediately disarmed.”
However, the pastor and the suspect were confirmed dead after they were rushed to Rosana hospital, where the doctor on call referred the victims to Human Race Hospital.
According to the police, the woman was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital and she was responding to treatment, while the corpses were later deposited at Agbala Mortuary, Agbala.
He said that the exhibit knife was taken to the station, while the Commissioner of Police had ordered a discreet investigation into the case to unravel the cause of the incident.
“The CP also advised the community to maintain peace, be law-abiding and go about their legitimate businesses pending the outcome of the investigation,” he added.
