A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God has died while trying to intervene in a couple’s brawl in Imo, police said on Monday.
Imo police spokesperson Mike Abattam in a statement said the incident occurred at Umukoto Nekede in Owerri.
Thompson Onyekwuru, 62, was trying to prevent Obumneke Onyemechileuzo from stabbing his wife, Ogechi Onyemechileuzo, during a fight between the couple, before he was allegedly killed, according to the police.
Mr Abattam said the attacker Mr Obumneke later died after the police shot him in the leg.
“Following a distress call on 19/7/2021 at about 1400 hours, at the Divisional Police Headquarters Nekede, Owerri, that one Obumneke Onyemechileuzo armed with a kitchen knife was beating his wife, Ogechi Favour Onyemechileuzo.
“When a pastor with the Redeem Christian Church Owerri, Pastor Thompson Onyekwuru, intervened by stopping him from stabbing his wife, the suspect rushed at him, stabbed him on his back and he fell down unconscious.
“On arrival at the scene, the police team saw the suspect seriously beating his wife, threatening to stab her and ran to prevent him from stabbing his wife.
“On sighting the police, he attempted stabbing one of the officers on the neck and he was shot on the leg in self-defence.
“He fell down and was immediately disarmed. But the victims and the suspect were rushed to Rosana hospital where the doctor on call referred the victims to Human Race Hospital, where the pastor and the suspect were confirmed dead.
“The woman was admitted in the intensive care unit of the hospital and she is responding to treatment, while the corpses were later deposited at Agbala Mortuary, Agbala,” Abattam said.
The spokesperson said the exhibit knife was taken to the police station, while the commissioner of police had ordered discreet investigation into the case.
