Metro
Murder in the church: How worker killed pastor over woman
The altar, considered a sacred place where priests offer prayers, turned into a slaughter slab at Grace of Comfort Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ, Ile-Ife in Osun State.
It was not just an ordinary person that was allegedly killed on the sacred platform, but the shepherd of the church, Most Senior Evangelist Morris Fadehan by his assistant, Lekan Ogundipe, following several disagreements between them.
Ogundipe was said to have laid ambush within the church premises and unleashed terror on his victim while the deceased bowed and prayed on the altar.
He allegedly stabbed him in the head several times, hit a nail through his ear and nose before dragging the lifeless body out of the altar, wrapped it with clothes and set it on fire.
Ogundipe while allegedly perpetrating his crime also sustained injuries on his hand while the deceased, during the struggle, scratched him severely on the face.
It was gathered that the church’s shepherd had on many occasions complained about Ogundipe’s attitude, especially money and immorality, and had vowed to stop him from assisting him but not without getting the approval of the church’s elders.
Speaking while receiving a delegation from the national headquarters, Pa Olafare, said to own the church, explained how the incident happened.
Olafare said: “The deceased had reported to me that he was to disengage Lekan (the suspect) as his assistant over many unlawful acts. Most recent of them includes an assault on a prophetess in the church last Wednesday, and I agreed with him, but he added that he will take the decision after consulting with the elders.”
Ogundipe was also said to have assaulted Ewan, a prophetess in the church.
The mother of two was reportedly angry with Ogundipe for claiming to be in a false relationship with the lady.
Ewa said: “Last Wednesday morning after Ogundipe had opened the church, I decided to sweep the floor when he started talking to me but I refused to respond.
“He then started harassing me. I quickly told him to stay away from me and that he should stop telling people we are dating because I was not having any intimate relationship with him besides Church issues. Rather than stop, he beat me with a cane which resulted in a fistfight until an elderly woman had to wade in and rescue me from his grip.
“Afterwards, the shepherd came around, heard the incident and scolded him for involving himself in such a mess. He even threatened to kill me before he was asked to leave the church area.”
Following the incident, it was gathered that the shepherd collected the church’s key from him, an incident that did not go well with Ogundipe.
However, penultimate Monday, after Ogundipe had allegedly perpetrated the crime inside the church without being detected, he quickly went to Pa Olafare’s house to report that he met the shepherd’s body on the floor burning.
His words: “While I was about eating on Monday evening, one Lekan came to the house and told me the deceased body was on fire and that he was lifeless on the floor. My wife and I drove to the church with him where we found the deceased partly burnt inside the church.
“Other members of the church within the vicinity were also attracted to the scene. While inspecting the church vicinity, we discovered blood stains on different parts of his body and cuts. When we asked Lekan about the blood stains, he attempted to run but we grabbed him and locked him in my car before calling in the police.
“We unwrapped the deceased pastor’s body and discovered that there were nails in his ear and several cuts on the head and neck before we took the body to the morgue at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife.
“Meanwhile, Lekan later confessed to the police that he perpetrated the crime because of a dispute with the deceased.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the suspect is in police custody for further investigation.
She said police upon getting to the scene found the deceased’s body in its pool of blood, saying: “Marks of violence were discovered on the corpse, we took photographs and the body was taken to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, OAUTH, for autopsy.”
A fire outbreak on Monday afternoon engulfed a recycling facility operated by Jincheng Company at 11B Eric Moore Road, Surulere, Lagos.
The fire, reported at about 12:15 p.m., drew a prompt response from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service. Firefighters from the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station were the first on the scene, but the intensity of the blaze required reinforcements from the Ajegunle Fire Crew.
Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, stated that the fire began at the rear of the main building and was suspected to have been caused by negligence.
The affected section reportedly housed large quantities of cardboard materials used in the recycling process.
Although the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, the facility—which spans three acres—suffered significant losses.
“No casualties have been reported so far,” Adeseye confirmed, adding that the situation was under control by the time of reporting, with damping down operations still ongoing.”
Mining marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have shut an illegal mining site in Damau community in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
NSCDC’s spokesman Babawale Afolabi said the affected site is in a tin-rich area belonging to Trobell Minerals Limited but allegedly overrun by illegal miners.
Afolabi said the corps Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, had instructed that effective strategy and approach be put in place to stop illegal miners and address insecurity.
The spokesman noted that the illegal activities of the miners had led to serious economic losses, environmental degradation, and persistent insecurity in the area.
He added that besides reaching out to community leaders, the marshals also adopted non-kinetic means through community engagement to address some challenges.
In a statement in Abuja, Afolabi said the NSCDC engaged traditional leaders and community youths in a series of deliberations to allow the miners to vacate the site under supervision without resistance.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, hailed the mining marshals for peacefully resolving previous clashes at illegal sites in other parts of the country, where enforcement had often turned confrontational.
The minister urged communities across the country to support the Federal Government to stamp out illegal mining.
He sought cooperation with the mining marshals to fish out culprits.
“The Kaduna operation could serve as a model for future interventions, if we get the buy-in of locals and community leaders. Illegal mining and insecurity remain major obstacles to the development of the mining sector.
“However, the outcome in Damau offers a glimpse of how a mix of enforcement and dialogue can turn the tide. I urge communities to cooperate with us to deal with this menace and restore investor confidence in the sector,” he said.
Also, a member of the community, who spoke in confidence, praised the marshals for doing a good job.
“The diplomatic approach is commendable. The activities of the dislodged illegal miners posed a serious threat to lives, livelihoods, and investment. This intervention brings long-awaited relief,” he said.
During the commemoration of the maiden anniversary of the Mining Marshals, Alake had reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering the squad for greater effectiveness.
“The reward for hard work is more work,” he told the operatives, pledging more support.
An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Isah Yunusa, who was attached to the First Lady of Zamfara State, Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal has been killed by suspected bandits in Kaduna State.
The tragic incident occurred on the night of Sunday, May 4, 2025, along the Kaduna–Kachia highway, when gunmen reportedly mounted a barricade on the road and attacked unsuspecting travellers.
Yunusa, was said to have been caught in the ambush and fatally shot.
His death was confirmed on Monday by conflict journalist and security analyst, Bakatsine, who shared the development via his social media handle.
As of the time of filing this report, the NSCDC is yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
It remains unclear whether Yunusa was on official duty or travelling privately when the attack happened.
The Kaduna–Kachia road has long been considered a hotspot for banditry and kidnappings, with repeated calls by residents and stakeholders for increased security presence along the route.
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