Catholic Priest in trouble over illegal arms In Imo State

A Catholic
priest in Imo
State is being investigated by the police in the
state over unlawful possession of firearms. The
priest, said to be in-charge of one of the prominent
Parishes in Dikenafai, Ideato South Local
Government area, Imo State, was arrested for
allegedly being in possession of three unlicensed
guns with which he allegedly threatened the lives
of his parishioners.
The guns which include one pump action riffle, one
double-barrelled gun and a locally-made pistol
allegedly belonging to the priest were recovered
from his official residence by operatives of Special
Armed Robbery Squad, SARS, Imo State Police
Command acting on a tip off from concerned
parishioners.
The reverend father was arrested and detained
briefly but granted bail by the police following the
intervention of some influential religious and
political leaders in the state.
The controversy surrounding the catholic priest,
according to a police source, stemmed from a
tragedy that occurred in January 2010, after the
death of a prominent indigene of the area. The
resident priest was said to have raised issues over
the burial ceremony which inflamed the natives
and they had to lodge formal complaints to the
Bishop of the area over the way the priest was
allegedly calling people names while conducting
services.
The source told Vanguard that the matter became
worse after armed robbers reportedly attacked the
priest in his official residence and he openly
accused some prominent citizens of the area of
masterminding the robbery.
Following his open accusation, some of them to
write a petition to the Commissioner of Police in
Imo State, accusing the priest of threatening their
lives with dangerous weapons. The Police boss
acted on the petition and sent detectives from the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, to the residence
of the priest where some weapons were allegedly
recovered.
Investigation into the case is ongoing by the police
to ascertain the source of the guns found at the
residence of the controversial priest, and possibly
what they are being used for.
Sent From David Aniemeka