Metro
Redeemed Pastor Murdered in Church by ‘New Converts’
Suspected hoodlums have attacked and killed a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Our correspondent gathered that the victim, Pastor Babatunde Dada, was killed inside the RCCG Chapel of Resurrection on 13 Road, 6th Avenue, FESTAC Town.
The killing, which happened on Thursday, December 2, was said to have been perpetrated by two new converts who came to the church for the first time a Sunday before the incident.
The two youths were said to have come out during an altar call and surrendered their lives to Jesus.
The church accommodated them on its premises after they claimed to be stranded.
They had barely spent a week in the church when they reportedly stabbed the cleric to death.
A senior pastor in the church, Akin Odejare, declined comment on the incident when contacted by PUNCH Metro.
However, the wife of the pastor, Bose, told our correspondent on the phone that she called her husband on the day of the incident and he promised to come home to rest.
She said, “My husband was killed on December 2 at the church. He was the admin/accounts officer, as well as the parish pastor. I was not with him when he was killed, but I was told that they collected money from him. I heard that those who killed him were new converts.”
A family member, who is also a security expert, Mr Abolarinwa Olatunbosun, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the pastor was killed after withdrawing money from a bank.
He said, “The pastor went to a bank to withdraw some money and went to rest on the first floor of the church. Two persons said to be new converts went to meet him upstairs, broke his head and killed him.
“The matter was reported to the police and one of the suspects, who ran to Ilorin, has been arrested.”
Olatunbosun said the killing might be for ritual purposes, adding that the assailants were suspected Internet fraudsters, aka Yahoo boys.
The expert said criminals were beginning to attack churches and pastors because they believed there was money in church.
He advised religious centres to be security conscious and put in place strategies that could stop criminals from killing, kidnapping and robbing leaders and worshippers.
A friend of the slain pastor, Fred Enemigin, who is the founder, Highflyers International, Lagos, said in a Facebook post that the pastor was stabbed multiple times.
He wrote, “Two boys had come to church last Sunday and they responded to the altar call by giving their lives to Christ. After church service, they waited to see the head pastor and told him that they were stranded without any place to stay.
“On compassionate grounds, the pastor allowed them to stay somewhere within the church premises pending when they would be resettled. Pastor Tunde Dada, who had for almost a decade been the accountant of RCCG Chapel of Resurrection Parish, was assigned to provide needed welfare for the boys until their matter would be sorted.
“On the fateful Thursday, Tunde was seated in his office and the boys targeting that they were alone on the church premises with him, entered his office and attacked him with knives and other sharp weapons. He was stabbed multiple times and places until they had him killed right there on the spot.
“Our minds are still searching for what the rift between the boys and Tunde was considering the fact that the Tunde we knew was a very gentle soul. Could they have asked for more welfare than what was approved for them and Tunde declined? What on earth would warrant this brutal killing by those who were recipients of a server of the church’s benevolence? There are many more questions that we have not found answers to.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said he had yet to be briefed about the case.
A prominent Lagos hotelier, Otunba Kunle Akinyele, tragically passed away on Saturday after collapsing during a church thanksgiving service held in honour of his wife’s 60th birthday.
The incident occurred at Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Iyanu, Odemuyiwa District Headquarters, Egbeda, Lagos State, leaving family, friends, and well-wishers in deep shock.
In a now-viral video shared on Facebook by Ayoade Ojeniyi on Sunday, the late businessman appeared visibly distressed, gesturing frantically—apparently requesting water or an inhaler—moments before slumping while delivering his testimony.
The thanksgiving service had been organised to celebrate his wife, Deaconess Catherine Adejoke Akinyele, with a grand reception scheduled to follow immediately after at Noble Castle Events Centre, Igando.
However, those plans were abruptly halted when news broke that Akinyele had collapsed in church. Despite frantic efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
One of the event vendors, who shared their experience via Facebook, said they had arrived at the reception venue as early as 10 am for the party, which was set to commence by 2pm.
The vendor wrote: “The celebrant, her husband, their children, and guests had all gone to church for the thanksgiving, intending to proceed to the reception afterwards. Varieties of foods were ready, decoration set, cocktails, emu oguro, and more. The live band had already mounted about 25 speakers. This is how people die? I can’t even think of asking for my balance for the job.”
The distinguished Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, His Excellency, Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, has extended warm congratulations to Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
In a heartfelt message, Senator Daniel praised Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing for his outstanding dedication and immense contributions to the Nigerian housing sector. He described the celebrant as a shining example in the business community, whose passion and commitment have left an indelible mark on the real estate industry across Nigeria.
“You are indeed a source of inspiration to your generation and a shining example within the business environment. There is no doubt that you had written your name in an indelible ink across Nigeria and most especially among the real estate developers,” he wrote.
Senator Daniel also acknowledged Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing’s conferment as the ‘Otun-Asiwaju of Remo Christians’ by the Ogun State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as a reflection of his God-fearing nature, philanthropic spirit, and commitment to humanity.
The senator offered prayers for good health, greater accomplishments, and many more remarkable years ahead for the business mogul.
He concluded by affirming his highest regards and admiration for the celebrant.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has directed Commanding Officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country. This is in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 16th to 23 April, 2024.
According to the Operation Order, obtained by the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the objectives of the special operations are reduction in road traffic crashes, road traffic fatalities and road traffic Injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
To this end, the Corps would carryout aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 Mobile Courts operations, with the aim of checking the following offences:
Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking,
b. Lane indiscipline/Route violation,
c. Road Obstructions,
d. Use of Phone while Driving,
e. Overloading,
f. Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations,
g. Passenger’s Manifest Violation,
h. Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles,
i. Latching and Twist-Locks Violation,
To achieve the aforementioned, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
Furthermore, reflective jackets, traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
Added to the above is, a total of 23 Help Areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period. This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support. The Corps Marshal identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and
Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, he expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management.
Expectedly, with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the Corps Marshal is confident that the celebration would be a huge success.
While reassuring the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads, the Corps Marshal also wishes all Nigerians safe and peaceful Easter celebrations.
