Police in Ebonyi state has arrested 10 people in connection with the harassment and torture of a pastor identified as Okochi Chukwu Obeni.
The Pastor was publicly humiliated for his Facebook post critical of Afikpo North local government chairman, Hon. Ogbonnia Oko Enyim.
Obeni was tried and punished by the Traditional Council of his Amasiri community and his punishment included being publicly flogged.
A video of the cleric being flogged surfaced on the internet recently, which showed Obeni stripped down to his shorts, hands tied behind his back, and flogged mercilessly.
While he was being flogged, he was forced to recant his statement criticizing the LGA Chairman.
He ended up in the hospital following the incident and he took to Facebook to say his hand has been paralyzed as a result of the inhuman treatment.
Following outcry and condemnation that greeted the incident, the Police on Wednesday, May 20, announced the arrest of Julius Amadi Nyerere and 9 other suspects involved in the assault.
Loveth Odah, Police Spokesman in the state, in a statement said;
On 14th of May at about 5:pm one Pastor Oko Chukwu Obeni ‘m’ age 30yrs of Ndukwe Amasiri village in Afikpo North LGA of Ebonyi State reported at Afikpo North Division that Isi Oru Age Grade led by one Julius Amadi Nyerere and deputized by one Eze Ogbonna ‘m’ all of the same address dragged him to the Ogo Play ground in the area, tired his both hands to back and flogged him severally with canes which infected multiple injuries all over his body and poured him with filthy water.
Odah stated that following the report, the victim was immediately taken to the hospital for proper medical care and he is responding to treatment, adding that;
Subsequently, the leader of the Isi Oru Age Grade Mr. Julius Amadi Nyerere and nine others were arrested in connection of the case.
Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, DCP Yekini A. Ayoku urged the general public to remain calm as he has ordered a full scale investigation into the matter with a view to unravelling the circumstances that led to such inhuman treatment.
Watch video of the pastor below;
