Explosion rocks Wike’s father’s church in Rivers

By Tony John, Port Harcourt

Two suspected arsonists have been arrested by local vigilance team for allegedly detonating dynamite at a church said to belong to the father of Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike.

The church, Christain Universal Church International, is located at 25 Azikiwe Street, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt.

Parts of the building’s glasses were blown off by the explosive.

The incident occurred Saturday night. The arrested arsonists, who were rescued from lynching by residents, were later handed over to the police.

The Assistant Chief Security Officer of Azikiwe Street, Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt, Collins Johnbull, who confirmed the attack, said they saw five men entering the church at about 9 pm on Saturday, but they thought the men were church members.

Johnbull disclosed that after some minutes they heard a loud sound suspected to be dynamite and they saw the hoodlums running out with guns.

Johnbull said he and his men mobilized immediately and pursued the arsonists and arrested two of them, while others escaped before the arrival of the police.

Another security personnel, Uche Brown, said one of their members sustained injuries while trying to arrest the armed men and was hospitalised.

The vigilante members pleaded for financial assistance from the state governor to clear the medical bill.

Meanwhile, operatives of Eagle Crack, an outfit of the state Police Command, MOPOL 19 and other security agencies, have taken over the area and the Azikiwe Street closed to traffic.