Controversy Surrounds Church For Alleged Ritual Killing of Laborer Amidst Foul Play Suspicions

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Pixabay/Jeremy Kyejo

A laborer reportedly passed away while cleaning out the septic tank of a church; however, the worker's relatives thought that there was foul play involved in the death. The church has been accused of carrying out a ritual killing of the laborer.

Tragic Death of A Laborer

According to information acquired by Punch on Thursday, Jun 1, the deceased man, Amon, was a father of three children and worked in the neighborhood as a commercial motorbike rider. The church reportedly asked him to clear the septic tank, and he began doing so around midnight. As mentioned, locals who claim to have heard this from church authorities said that Amos' feet allegedly slid off the ladder as he was working, causing him to fall and die.

Yet, some residents and the deceased person's relatives have stated that they believe there was some foul play involved. Moreover, after the incident, the family went to examine the cesspit, and when they did, they found that it was not deep enough to have drowned Amos. This information was given to Amos' brother, who merely gave his name as Peter. He also mentioned that they proceeded to that septic tank and placed a long stick into it; the individuals surrounding them were reportedly startled by the shallow level of the soakaway. They retrieved Dongo's damaged clothing from the soakaway and a long piece of fabric that they believed was used to suffocate him. In addition, a silver wristwatch they were sure did not belong to him was discovered there.

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Church's Response to the Ritual Killing Allegation

Mr. Kayode Ajala, the spokesperson for the church, stated that Amon was found dead after being hauled out of the hole. He also stated that the assistant shepherd who fell into the soak along with him was in a severe condition, The Nation Online reported. Ajala recalled that the family of Amon insisted that they carried the deceased family member's body with them when they were transported to the hospital, and that is when they requested that the body not be sent to the mortuary. The body had not reportedly been broken, and when they pulled him out of the soakaway, he had already passed away. "The assistant pastor that was alive was moved from the hospital he was yesterday night to another hospital. He is in bad shape. We are praying that he survives. But Dogo was not alive when they brought him out," he added.

As per Opera News, James Aso, the Senior Shepherd of CCC Overcomers' Parish, adamantly refuted the charges that ritual killing had taken place at the church. From where he was lying in the hospital, he detailed church members' efforts to save Amos and bring him back to life. Aso refuted allegations that he had asked Amos to work past midnight, pointing out that doing so violated the company's standard operating procedures. He also described going to get assistance from the police. However, the situation swiftly got out of their control and escalated quickly. On the other hand, Benjamin Hundeyin, who is the Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Police, has stated that the incident has been confirmed and that Amos fell into the septic tank while he was working. He specified that the body had not been dismembered in any way, and he indicated clearly that no arrests had been made.

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