Slain pastor had perfect relationship with members, says church

CONTRARY to insinuations that the slain Lagos State Coordinator of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Chukwuemeka Okpokpo, who was shot on Monday in Lagos, might have been assassinated by some church members, the church has said the late pastor had a cordial relationship with members.

The Church Public Relations Officer (PRO), Luis Chidi, who spoke with The Guardian on Wednesday, said the issue of position has no meaning for members, but emphasis is how to go to Heaven.

According to him, as a church noted for preaching holiness, it is wrong for anybody to assume that the late coordinator was killed because of his position.

He also said the hurried movement of the deceased’s body to his hometown in Amizi, Ikwuano Local Council of Umuahia, Abia State was at the instance of his family after due process was followed.

“Initially, the church requested for further investigation into his death, but the brother felt that his body should be deposited at a nearby morgue in his village.”

“He was made to write an undertaking to the police to that effect.”

“So, the decision to take the body to Abia has nothing to do with the church but an arrangement between the family members and the Police,” he revealed.

Chidi also refuted claims that the money withdrawn by the deceased before his death was the church’s money, saying that there was nothing to suggest that yet, since he went to the bank unaccompanied.

It would be recalled that unknown gunmen on Monday shot dead Okpokpo, at Apple Junction, Amuwo Odofin area of the state.

The gunmen, said to have used a motorcycle, reportedly trailed the deceased from a Diamond Bank branch, where he had gone to withdraw N3 million for the church.

They reportedly fired shots into the air, which sent other road users and passers-by scampering for safety. Reports said Pastor Okpokpo tried to escape when it became obvious that he was the target.

He reportedly slowed down on reaching a bad spot on the road, and the hoodlums shot at the tyres of the church vehicle he was driving, bringing the vehicle to an abrupt halt.

One of the gunmen then alighted from their motorcycle, walked to the vehicle and shot Pastor Okpokpo in the stomach. He was said to have waited to ensure that Okpokpo was no longer breathing before he took the nylon bag containing the money, went back to his two colleagues on the motorcycle and they zoomed off.