Cross River Police deny releasing killer pastor

The Cross River Police Command has denied reports making the rounds within the State that the Police Command is under pressure from well-placed citizens in the State to release the pastor accused of killing a 19 month old baby in Calabar and using her heart for ritual purposes.

Rev. Tony Obo Ekpe the pastor of Royal God’s Commandment Church was recently arrested by the Police alongside five other members for allegedly kidnapping baby Success and removing her heart for ritual purposes.

Parading the suspects before newsmen in Calabar, the Police Public Relations Officer Miss. Irene Ugbe disclosed that the essence of parading the suspects was to disabuse the minds of members of the public that the pastor and his accomplice have been released by the Command.

“We heard that there is a rumour that Police has collected money to release them, so we actually invited you here to let the world know that we have not done that.

“There is no way the Police can release any murder or kidnap suspect without due process. There are about 6 suspects including the pastor. They colluded to kidnap the little girl two days before the pastor was arrested. They will be charged alongside the pastor.”

“It’s overwhelming that people can be so mean. Some of the items we discovered there include human heart, charms and all sorts of things. The pictures of various persons I don’t know for what reason were also found. The heart recovered from the pastor is being kept in the morgue and the doctors are going to ascertain because the pastor is claiming that the heart is that of a fowl,” she said.

She further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police is interested in this matter and very soon the truth will come out.

When asked what her command is doing to bring other pastors who indulge in rituals to book, she disclosed that the Pastor is going to give more information about the pastors that are involved in this crime.

Narrating her ordeal to newsmen, the mother of the baby Success, Miss Faith Inyang stated that the suspects came to her house at about 3.am on the 23rd of August 2017 and stole her baby.

She said one of the suspects by name Udo Okon came to her house two days before the incident and promised to take care of her child. She also disclosed that the Udo Okon lives within the area and has never visited her compound nor had anything to do with her.

Meanwhile, the Pastor of God’s Commandment Ministry and suspected killer of Baby Success, Rev. Tony Obo Ekpe has denied that he stole the baby and used her for ritual purposed. “I did not do anything and was praying on Wednesday night. All these things I use it to work for my members who are not feeling fine. I see no heart here. The children use the artefacts for praying,” he said.