Murder of Catholic Priest in Imo: I did not know he will die – Assistant leader

A 28-year-old man, Mr. Izuchukwu Okafor, popularly known as
small, from Ukwukwa village in Azia of Anambra state, Thursday,
said that him and other of his gang members did not plan to murder
Reverend. Father Cyriacus Onunkwo.

He made this statement when six of them were paraded alongside
other suspects on different offences, at the Imo state police
headquarters.

Okafor claimed that he was second in command and that a
policeman, Ex Corporal, Jude Madu, organized the operation.

Speaking to our reporter, he said: “I don’t know he will die. We
covered the nose of the catholic priest that was why died. We saw
him on the road and we did not know he was a Reverend Father and we
kidnapped him. I was not the owner of the vehicle used in
kidnapping the Catholic priest.

PRAYER for Somtochukwu: Owerri indigenes at the altar of
Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, yesterday, as they
prayed for the repose of the soul of Somtochukwu Ibeanusi and the
wounded in the Ekeukwu Owerri market saga. Photo: Chidi Nkwopara

“I was not the person who led the gang, it was a policeman. When
we got to the junction, he asked us to stop in the front of the
Catholic priest Toyota Corrola, and he asked the priest to come
down and that he was under arrest.

“I want to tell you that it was Jude Madu that requested that I
should get a car and that we were going to somewhere. He did not
tell me where we were going.”

A 28-year-old man, Mr. Izuchukwu Okafor, popularly known as
small, from Ukwukwa village in Azia of Anambra state, Thursday,
said that him and other of his gang members did not plan to murder
Reverend. Father Cyriacus Onunkwo.

He made this statement when six of them were paraded alongside
other suspects on different offences, at the Imo state police
headquarters.

Okafor claimed that he was second in command and that a
policeman, Ex Corporal, Jude Madu, organized the operation.

Speaking to our reporter, he said: “I don’t know he will die. We
covered the nose of the catholic priest that was why died. We saw
him on the road and we did not know he was a Reverend Father and we
kidnapped him. I was not the owner of the vehicle used in
kidnapping the Catholic priest.

PRAYER for Somtochukwu: Owerri indigenes at the altar of
Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, yesterday, as they
prayed for the repose of the soul of Somtochukwu Ibeanusi and the
wounded in the Ekeukwu Owerri market saga. Photo: Chidi Nkwopara

“I was not the person who led the gang, it was a policeman. When
we got to the junction, he asked us to stop in the front of the
Catholic priest Toyota Corrola, and he asked the priest to come
down and that he was under arrest.

“I want to tell you that it was Jude Madu that requested that I
should get a car and that we were going to somewhere. He did not
tell me where we were going.”