- The police in Imo state have arrested a pastor for keeping riffles in church
- A member of an armed robbery gang confessed that the pastor keeps the riffles for them and prays for them after operations
- The armed robbers were caught after their attack on a Zenith Bank’s branch in Owerri, one year ago
Policemen attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) of the Imo state police command have arrested an Owerri pastor, Chiedozie Anochima, in connection with the February 22, 2017, robbery in a bank.
Pastor Anochima is reportedly the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, Uratta, in the Owerri north local government area of the state.
Punch reported that the attack on the Wetheral Road branch of Zenith Bank in Owerri, the state capital, left two policemen dead, with another injured, while one of the armed robbers was gunned down during the operation.
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NAIJ.com gathered that the police said the arrest of the cleric during a church service on Sunday, February 25, was a huge success in the investigation of the crime.
A police source said on Wednesday, February 28, that the arrest of the last member of the gang, Chinonso Onwugbuchlam, one year after the incident, helped the police to arrest the pastor.
The source disclosed that it was in the course of interrogation that Onwugbuchlam, who was arrested by F-SARS operatives in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, mentioned the pastor’s name.
He said: “Onwugbuchulam named one Pastor Chiedozie Anochima as one of them. The pastor is 36 years old and he is the founder of Jesus The Rock of Salvation Healing Ministry, a church in Urratta, in the Owerri North LGA.”
The source said that Onwugbuchulam confessed that the pastor kept the gang’s rifles after operations and prayed for them for protection.
“Onwuegbuchulam led the F-SARS operatives to his church where we arrested him during a church service. The pastor was surprised to see us. We swooped on him and arrested him immediately. That was last Sunday,” the source added.
The state commissioner of police, Chris Ezike, said the arrest of the cleric was a big breakthrough for the command.
Ezike said: “Yes, it is true. We have arrested the pastor and he is with us. You know that criminal investigation is like kerosene; it spreads. The more you investigate a crime, the more it spreads.
“We are working harder to make sure that all those involved in the bank robbery at Zenith Bank in 2017, do not escape justice. We will parade the pastor before newsmen very soon.”
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The arrest of the pastor, which reportedly caused a stir during the church service, made members of his church to flee.
NAIJ.com previously reported that the robbery attack on Wednesday, February 23, at Zenith Bank, Owerri, Imo state left four people dead while several are injured.
A witness reported that the robbers had trailed a customer who came in to deposit a huge sum of money to the Zenith bank branch located along Wetheral Road, opposite Dan Anyiam Stadium in the city.
Out of the five people who lost their lives was one of the robbers, three bank security agents and the customer who was trailed to the bank, seven other people were injured in the crossfire.
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Source: Naija.ng
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