A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Bolanle Ibrahim has been allegedly shot dead inside his church, the King of Kings Parish, Maidan village, Mile 12 area of Lagos State.
The pastor was said be praying for mothers and their children when some suspected assailants stormed the church and tried to drag him out.
It was rumoured that the late cleric was suspected to be a cultist but an aunt to the deceased, Mrs. Justina Alebiosu, who confirmed the incident, alleged that it was a clear case of hired assassination.
She said, ”Even before they killed him, they showed him his picture to identify if he was actually the right person they came for. His death was an unfortunate one. We have lost a gentleman. It was true we were born as Muslims, but we converted to Christianity. My thinking is that my brother had business transaction with someone.
According to her, “I was told when the assailants wanted to drag him out of the pulpit where he was praying for women who brought their children for dedication, he begged them to kill him there and that was where he was eventually killed by the gunmen. The assailants also threatened to shoot any of the members of the church who dare come close to them.
“We still have an aged mother, and his wife just gave birth, his children are still young. I am appealing to the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu to release his remains for us to bury, presently we are all down morally, because of his sudden death.” she said.
Ibrahim’s widow, Kudirat said on the fateful day, the late pastor was fasting.
Also, she said until his untimely death, the deceased has never been involved in cult related activities.
“What they are saying about him are blatant lies, my late husband was a man of God and he served him to his death.
“I wasn’t at home on the fateful day of the incident, I went to take care of my sick mother at the hospital. I had no premonition about his death. After the deed was done, nobody called to inform me.
“I never knew my husband had been killed, I was still busy calling him to bring something for me from home, not knowing that he had already been killed, whenever I called him the person who is picking his call kept telling me my husband is preaching, it was later around 7pm that my elder brother came to break the news to me about the gruesome murder of my beloved husband.” she said.
The bereaved mother Mrs. Agnes Ogunowo who spoke on the sad incident, said she bid her son farewell before he left for church on the day he was killed.
“My son was law abiding, I attend Roman Catholic Church while he attended RCCG. He has a new baby we are yet to take to church for dedication, now my son is no more. I want to appeal to the Police to get involved in my son’s death, arrest and prosecute them.
“I want God to expose those behind it, I cannot bear his death.”the distraught mum said.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Muyiwa Adejobi said a man was attacked during church service. The assailants went for him in the church.
We are investigating the case because we have a clue into the killing. We will unravel the case” Adejobi was quoted as saying.
