3 arrested, 1 shot after ‘hoodlums’ bombed Wike’s church

Police said they have arrested three persons in connection with a church bombing in Rivers State.

Attackers, on Saturday night, allegedly detonated explosives at the Christain Universal Church International, located at Mile 3, Diobu area of Port Harcourt.

The Pentecostal church is said to be owned by Governor Nyesom Wike’s father.

The suspects numbering about five attacked the church around 8pm.

It was gathered that the gunmen’s escape plan was blocked after men of a local security outfit in the area noticed strange movements and swooped in.

The Assistant Chief Security Officer of the Azikiwe Street Security, Collins Johnbull, while narrating the incident, said one of his men who was hit by a bullet in the process of chasing the suspects is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

Johnbull said:

“On Saturday, 28th day of November, 2020, while I was on my duty post, we observed some movements around 8pm to 9pm and we were on the alert, before then we saw some strange faces, about five of them, that entered into the governor’s father’s church and we thought they were church members having their normal evening programme, but we were suspicious of them because of the way they were moving.

“About five minutes after the boys entered the church, there was an explosion, we heard a banging noise like that of a bomb from the church and we immediately approached the church and saw them (the suspects) jumping out of the church wearing masks and carrying guns and started shooting at my men.

“By God’s grace, we were able to apprehend three of the criminals that attacked the church, while two escaped. We did everything in our power to apprehend the hoodlums, as we are talking now, one of my men who was hit by a bullet is receiving treatment.”

Another member of the security team, Uche Brown, who corroborated the story said the three suspects have been taken into custody by the police.

“Around 8.43pm, some hoodlums who attacked the state governor’s father’s church at Azikiwe street tried to bring down the building by throwing dynamites into it but (they) did not succeed.

“When they noticed that the security men were approaching them, they tried to escape and we apprehended three of them, while two escaped, before the arrival of the police who took them into custody.”