Murder of Catholic Priest in Imo: I did not know he will die – Assistant leader
vanguardngr.com Sep 7, 2017 8:16 PM
By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri
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.


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.
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 Vanguard, 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.

“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.”