The Chief Priest of Igbudu community in Warri South Council Area of Delta State, Victor Alawuru, was reportedly stabbed to death Thursday, for impregnating a lady of the Muslim faith.
The incident which took place along Degbori Street in the Hausa Quarters axis of the community, saw people running helter-skelter in the neighbourhood, Friday evening as youths of Igbudu market sought to launch a retaliatory attack on the hoodlums, said to be some “Hausa boys”.
The victim, 23, is said to be a grandson of Alawuru, a popular family name in Warri and Udu areas of the state, and only took up his priestly duties about two years ago.
According to residents, the victim impregnated an “Hausa lady” and this did not go well with the girl’s parents, who are Muslims and were against the relationship with someone that is not of the same faith.
But some others said the victim was killed because he allegedly rejected the pregnancy.
It was gathered that the deceased had gone for a festival at the street, where he was attacked and stabbed by hoodlums reportedly from the Hausa enclave.
“The deceased was killed because an Hausa lady got pregnant for him. He allegedly rejected the pregnancy. The incident has brought serious tension,” a source claimed.
Another source said, “the hoodlums, who are believed to be from the Hausa community, attacked and stabbed him to death on Thursday.
“The Igbudu community youths are angry over the death of the deceased. Thus, fighting, robbery and riot broke out between the Urhobo and Hausa groups.
“The ever busy Igbudu market was forcefully closed on Friday evening, as traders ran away for safety of their lives. And there are fears that the youths may avenge the death of the chief priest.
“The incident is a bad one because cult groups have taken over the fight. The last person that was killed by the same group during the lockdown was the younger brother to Mr. Victor. The people of the priest are angry”.
A senior police source at the Warri Area Command said the parents wanted the girl to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused.
“They said an Hausa girl was pregnant for him and the parents wanted her to terminate the pregnancy, but she ran to the police station.
“So the girl said Christian girls do get pregnant for Muslims, so why can’t she? And she decided to keep the pregnancy.
“They were having a festival in that area and the said Chief Priest was passing. They said some Hausa boys then pointed at him and said, ‘look at the man that brought disgrace (impregnating the Hausa girl) to us’ and one of them stabbed him to death,” the police source disclosed.
Asked if the ‘Chief Priest’ had rejected the pregnancy, the Police said “he didn’t. They said their daughter shouldn’t have been pregnant for a non-Muslim”.
When contacted for comments on Saturday, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the killing of the chief priest by suspected “Hausa boys”.
“Yes, the chief priest was killed, but not because he was a chief priest. The area is calm now,” the PPRO said.
Culled from The Nation
