Ebonyi preacher tortured to death for destroying monarch’s statue

An 18-year-old boy identified as Ezekiel Okon Ikwor has been allegedly killed by youths of Ifu-Ogo Nguzu community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for allegedly pulling down the statue of the late traditional ruler of the community Ezeogo Chima Onu.
It was gathered that the deceased, who was the son of the pastor of Seed of Christ and Fire Ministry, in the community, Mr. Okon Ikwor, accidentally pulled down the statue while preaching in the community.
Investigations revealed that the youths rushed and arrested him, tied him down at Amanato Court Area and tortured him mercilessly, leading to his death.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that the irate youths proceeded to the residence of Ezekiel’s father and set his two bungalows ablaze.
“The boy was tortured under the supervision of a royal father in the area (name withheld) and in the process he died in the late hours of the night.
“When the youths discovered that the boy had died, they buried him secretly without the consent of the father and since then the father had been denied access to the graveyard of the son.”
Confirming the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Lovet Odah, said that the police had commenced investigation into the killing.
In a related development, the father of the deceased, Pastor Okon Ikwor, had petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Titus Lamorde, on the killing of his son.
He called on the police boss to ensure that the suspected killers were arrested and prosecuted, stressing that he had not only lost his son, all his property had been destroyed by the rampaging youths.
-Punch