How mob burnt down church over missing child in Ondo

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 started like a normal day in Akure, the Ondo State capital.  Business was going on as usual and workers just resumed work and were just settling down when the news filter in.  A mob had just set ablaze a new generation church in the Osinle area of the Sunshine State capital. […]

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 started like a normal day in Akure, the Ondo State capital.  Business was going on as usual and workers just resumed work and were just settling down when the news filter in.  A mob had just set ablaze a new generation church in the Osinle area of the Sunshine State capital.

One month ago, Kolawole Gold, who was one year old, was declared missing at Sotitobire Miracle Centre, the church at the centre of the crisis.

An irate mob, made up of mostly youths, were said to have stormed the church in the early morning of that fateful day and confronted some members who were said to be holding a midweek service.

Some days before the attack, operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) had arrested eight members of the church who were  working in the children department to explained how the boy disappeared without their knowledge during a church service.

Before this time, the General Overseer of the church, Alfa Babatunde, was also arrested by the DSS and taken to Abuja, following a petition by the parents of the missing boy and public outcry.

The church building and property worth millions of naira were set ablaze on the day of the attack. Two other houses located close to the church were also touched. About five cars, including a police van, were also set ablaze.

The mob started shouting, “Ipe to jona,” meaning an anointing son fire, as a parody of the name popularly used to describe the church and its founder; “Ipe to shano,” meaning the anointing and call that is glorious.

A police sergeant and four other persons were said to have lost their lives at the scene.

An eyewitness told Daily Trust on Sunday that some youths had visited the church in the morning to challenge some church members who were holding midweek service, alleging that they were insensitive to the plight of the boy, but the members were said to have resisted them and called in the police.

That was when the matter grew worse as a mob subsequently attacked the church. As the news spread, people moved to the scene to add to the already wild situation.

Although the police command in the state confirmed the death of three persons, doctors at the state specialist hospital, Akure told Daily Trust on Sunday that five persons were brought to the hospital dead.

A policeman, who was said to be a member of the church, was killed by the mob while a motorcyclist was allegedly shot dead by a stray bullet from policemen deployed to the scene to put the situation under control.

Some journalists and several other persons were also injured.

One of the factors that added to the attack was a rumour that the corpse of the missing boy had been exhumed from the altar of the church. The rumour also had it that the missing boy had been used for ritual by the church.

Confirming the attack, the police public relations officer, Ondo State command, Mr Femi Joseph, dispelled the rumour that the corpse of the boy was exhumed from the church altar. He described the incident as an unfortunate mob action.

“It is most unfortunate that this misleading information, spearheaded by a popular television station, ignited spontaneous reactions from the people, leading to a wanton destruction of properties and injuries to many. The church building was also set ablaze by irate youths. Some of our officers dispatched to the scene to contain the situation were pelted with stones, with many of them sustaining injuries. Their patrol vehicle was also badly damaged.”

“This rejoinder became necessary to disabuse the minds of many Nigerians who might have fallen for these wicked lies and propaganda. The public should also not be hoodwinked by reports that the command has abandoned the investigation of the incident as the case file is already on the way to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. Notwithstanding this latest incident, more reinforcement has been sent to the scene to contain the situation,” Joseph said.

Before the attack, the sudden disappearance of Kolawole on November 10, 2019 had generated a lot of controversy.

After four weeks, the DSS waded into the matter and whisked away the founder of the church, alongside nine caregivers for investigations.

Meanwhile, the police said they arrested 10 people in connection with the incident, and they are helping in their investigation.

The police spokesman said that the suspects also attacked the house of the General Overseer of the church, who was in DSS custody at the time of filing this report.

Reacting to the incident, the Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, appealed to the people to be calm, adding that there would be thorough investigation of the incident.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in the state, Mr Donald Ojogo, the governor sympathised with the parents of the missing boy and the concerned public.

The governor stated that considering the enormity of the incident, there was no need to make hasty public statements, especially when investigations had already commenced and he was receiving daily briefing from the commissioner of police in the state.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, parents of the missing boy said they joined the church not long ago and had taken the child to the children department for the first time that fateful day he was declared missing.

According to the boy’s mother, when the service was over and she discovered that her son was missing, she quickly raised the alarm. She added that the excuse she got from those looking after the children was that they went to the toilet at the time the boy disappeared from the church.

The boy’s parents have vowed not to rest until their child is found.