By Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Police in Ebonyi State have arrested an Anglican Church Pastor, Paul Morah, for allegedly defiling over 24 boys in Enyibichiri Ikwo Local Government Area of the state.
Morah reportedly hails from Orji River in Enugu State but was in Ebonyi for pastoral mission.
He was alleged to be using diabolical handkerchief to lure some of the children who tried to resist him into the act.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP George Okafor, confirmed the development but said that he would brief journalists after investigations.
“We are aware of the matter. It has just been transferred from Ikwo Police Division to this place (Headquarter). We are still investigating it. But latest tomorrow, we will get back to you”, the police spokesman said.
The Coordinator of Ikwo East Development Centre, Chinedu Ogbuoji, who lend credence to police confirmation described the incident as pathetic.
His words: “The incident is pathetic because these days some people hide themselves under the umbrella of religion to perpetrate evil.
“He told us that his name is Paul Morah from Enugu State. He claimed to be a pastor. But when we interrogated him further, he said he spent only three weeks in the church before he was suspended by the Anglican
Church in Enyibichiri community.
“People from my area reported the incident to me yesterday and
I intervened with the support of the town union leader and the youths who came out because of the importance of security to the state government.
“We went there; he was apprehended and handed over to the police. We want to assure you of more investigations”.
The coordinator further assured that the children would undergo medical examinations to ascertain their health status.
“Some of the children claimed they are members of the church. Nobody knew what he used to lure the children. But we heard that at times, he uses diabolical handkerchief to lure them”, he added.
Corroborating, Nwoba Sylvanus, the Town Union President of the community said that it was in the early hours of yesterday morning (Tuesday) that one of my chairmen by name Sunday Nwibo of a sub-ward called me and related the information to me and I told him he should go and arrange some boys to go and arrest the man and hand over to the police for investigation.
“At that hour it happened, we only identified four children of highest age of 17 years. One of them is in primary six. The other two in JSSII, and the one in JSS III but from the investigation of the divisional police officer at Noyo junction, the children are up to 24 now.
According to one of the children, the man always sent them on an errand when they come back to him, he will ask them to enter his
house, then in the house he will ask them to wear off and if they
resist, he will use his hand and naked the boys and use them.
“He told us that he is a pastor in Anglican Church but when one of the pastors of Anglican Church was contacted, he said they have suspended him for over three months. The pastor said that when he came to them after observing him, they discovered that he was fake and not working in line with their doctrines,”the town union president said.