How ritualists massacred Prophetess Ebere and 19 church members on prayer mountain in Imo
Kidnappers' den destroyed by security men (Video)
Details have emerged on how a prophetess identified as Ebere Chidera and 19 of her church members were killed in Orlu, Imo State, after they were abducted from a prayer mountain in the forest.
Ebere, who ran a church in Orlu, Imo State, was said to have embarked on a three-day fast and prayer in the forest with 20 of her church members.
They completed the three days of fasting and gathered to break their fast. According to reports, they had just finished cooking and settling down to eat when armed men stormed their camp.
Some of the members attempted to run and were shot to instil fear in the others. The shot and the living were reportedly dragged deeper into the forest.
The church members were taken into the den of the kidnappers, ritualists and organ harvesters.
Investigators were later to find personal effects such as car keys, slippers and clothes littering the campground.
The abductors reportedly called the church to demand the sum of N30 million for the release of Prophetess Ebere.
The church members’ request to speak with Ebere to be sure she was still alive was rebuffed. This gave the church members the suspicion that she might have been killed.
However, they decided to play along and promised to deliver the ransom. Meanwhile, they contacted the police, who, in turn, enlisted the support of local vigilantes.
The combined forces laid an ambush for the ransom-retriever and arrested him.
During interrogation, the arrested member of the gang opened up and gave the security men information about the location of their den in the forest.
The combined team stormed the forest, where they met a horrible scene. They arrested some members of the gang, while others escaped.
The police said over 30 people, male and female, were involved in the dastardly act. Human skulls and body parts were reportedly discovered in the kidnappers’ den.
The lone survivor of the ordeal, out of the 20 people who went for the retreat, told the police that people were killed almost daily.
He said the suspects chanted incantations and burnt all manner of objects with human flesh.
See a video from the scene here.
