The Commanding Officer of the 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, David
Ejoor Barracks, Effurun, Delta State, Lt Col. Igwe Omoke has been accused of
taking sides in the crisis rocking the Glory House Parish of the Assemblies of
God Church in the Effurun area of the State, after reports emerged that he
personally led the military men who invaded and shutdown the church.
It had been reported that the Military Officer had on Sunday, ordered military
invasion of the said parish on Otti Street, Effurun.
The Nation reports that “eyewitness accounts and photographs of
the military invasion revealed that the army officer was at the scene and
directed the disruption of worship, because of his sympathy for Rev. Chidi
Okoroafor’s faction in the crisis.”
A female member of the church, who didn’t want her name
mentioned, said “On the morning of the attack, the Commanding Officer (Omoke)
came with the troops.
“He was dressed in white native attire and he wore sunglasses.
He had earlier visited the church and made inquiries from neighbours on the
whereabouts of the pastor of the church (Pastor Omole).
“The soldiers who came that Sunday told us we had 10 minutes to
round up whatever we were doing and shut down the church and we could not argue
with them because they were armed and had removed their name tags and the
number plates from the two vans they came with, which were fitted with heavy
guns, maybe machine guns.
“The soldiers were very menacing. We were doing our Sunday
school, but we could not complete it because the soldier was counting down:
‘eight minutes, five minutes and so on,” she added.
When contacted, the army officer had said he was not aware of what
was being asked.
Omoke allegedly denied knowledge of the military operation at
the church.
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