A young man, identified as Emmanuel, reportedly sustained severe injuries, including bleeding from his ears, after he was allegedly flogged in a community located Rivers State.
The incident was said to occurred in a church located along Mgbuchi Farm Road, Ogoria Street, off Elikpokodu-Aluu Road in the Rukpokwu area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident, which reportedly occurred last 11 March was shared to Revelation Agent on Monday, has generated controversy following conflicting accounts from the church leadership and the victim’s family over the circumstances that led to the alleged assault.
Emmanuel’s uncle, Mr Fabian Nelson, told the newspaper during a telephone interview that he first became aware of the incident when his nephew sent him a video clip through WhatsApp showing his condition after the alleged flogging.
Nelson said Emmanuel was later brought to his workplace by some individuals from the church, where he noticed the extent of his injuries.
“I was at my business place when my nephew sent me a video on WhatsApp. They later drove him (my nephew) to my workplace. When they got there, I saw his condition, blood rushing from both ears, and the guy was crying.” Nelson said.
According to him, Emmanuel claimed that the flogging was carried out on the instruction of a pastor identified as Samuel Francis, the General Overseer of a new generation church in the area.
Nelson explained that his nephew had previously been invited to the church by the pastor, who allegedly asked him to come over because he sometimes assisted the church during programmes.
He said Emmanuel went to the church premises in the early hours of the following day but was allegedly confronted shortly after entering the compound.
“When he (my nephew) entered the compound, the pastor shut the gate against him. There were also two other men with the pastor inside. One was the youth president of the church and the other was a security guard in the area. He (my nephew) said they forcefully laid him on the ground and started using electric cables to flog him all over his body—his ears, neck and everywhere,” Nelson alleged.
He further claimed that Emmanuel told him the beating was severe and that water was allegedly poured on him while the flogging was taking place.
Nelson also alleged that the young man’s mobile phone was taken from him and that he was told to pay N50,000 before it would be returned.
He said the family later contacted the police Anti-Cultism Unit along SARS Road, where the pastor was reportedly taken for questioning.
According to Nelson, both the pastor and his nephew were later released after discussions with officers.
He also disclosed that the matter has since been reported at the Special Area Police Division in Rumudomaya, also known as Rumuokoro.
Nelson insisted that Emmanuel denied attempting to rape a 14-year-old girl at the church premises, describing the allegation as false.
He claimed that Emmanuel told him that on a previous day he had been sitting inside the church watching a movie when some children approached him to borrow his phone.
According to Nelson, Emmanuel said one of the girls later called him into another part of the church building where she allegedly made advances towards him, which he rejected before leaving the area.
“When I asked my nephew several times, that was what he told me. I have also made an official complaint at the Special Area Rumudomaya (aka Rumuokoro) Police Station,” Nelson said. “I want justice.’
However, when contacted by telephone, Pastor Samuel Francis presented a different account of the incident.
The cleric maintained that Emmanuel attempted to rape his niece, a 14-year-old girl, within the church premises.
Francis denied that the suspect was assaulted, stating instead that the young man was only disciplined by some church youth leaders.
“Nobody assaulted him,” the pastor said. “he was just being disciplined for attempting rape of a girl of 14 years.”
The pastor also denied claims that Emmanuel was a regular member of the church or that he served as a drummer during church programmes.
He joined us in the church for barely three weeks. He does not play the drum. He does not pay tithe. He is not a member; his name is not in my church register, ” Francis said.
He added that the suspect’s mobile phone was not in his possession, claiming that it was with the police.
The Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would verify the details of the incident after she was contacted.
However, she had yet to respond as of the time this report was filed.
